Lane · STEP · Oct 2026

Lake Charles, LA to Chicago, IL step deck rate

$3,562step deck

+3.5% from last month

Per mile: $3.51
Distance: 1,016 mi
Typical range: $2,992–$4,132
Transit: 3 days

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Step deck · estimated all-in cost per load · monthly

Lake Charles to Chicago price history

3 months: +8.7%
1 year: +19.0%
5 years: +24.9%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $2,537
Fuel: $1,025
All-in estimate: $3,562

Return trip

Chicago → Lake Charles$5,220

This direction runs 32% below the return trip. Leaving LA prices below the national average and arriving in IL prices below it.

Lake Charles to Chicago by truck type

Estimated cost from Lake Charles, LA to Chicago, IL by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$2,690	$2.65	$2,394 – $2,986
53' refrigerated	$3,207	$3.16	$2,790 – $3,624
48' flatbed	$3,266	$3.21	$2,809 – $3,724
Step deck	$3,562	$3.51	$2,992 – $4,132
Power only	$2,367	$2.33	$2,059 – $2,675
Hotshot	$1,786	$1.76	$1,482 – $2,090
26' box truck	$1,754	$1.73	$1,491 – $2,017
Sprinter van	$1,076	$1.06	$904 – $1,248

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The index is an estimate. For a price you can act on, ask connected freight providers for a live 53' dry van rate, or send the load details and get quoted for any truck type.

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More lanes from Lake Charles

Step deck lanes from Lake Charles, LA
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	1,533 mi	$6,762	$4.41	$5,680 – $7,844	4 d
Los Angeles, CA	1,763 mi	$5,673	$3.22	$4,765 – $6,581	4 d
Houston, TX	157 mi	$1,298	$8.27	$1,091 – $1,506	1 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,334 mi	$4,956	$3.72	$4,163 – $5,750	3 d
Philadelphia, PA	1,443 mi	$6,117	$4.24	$5,139 – $7,096	4 d
San Antonio, TX	381 mi	$1,936	$5.08	$1,626 – $2,245	1 d
San Diego, CA	1,673 mi	$5,425	$3.24	$4,557 – $6,293	4 d
Dallas, TX	325 mi	$1,776	$5.47	$1,492 – $2,061	1 d

More lanes into Chicago

Step deck lanes into Chicago, IL
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	847 mi	$3,257	$3.85	$2,736 – $3,778	2 d
Los Angeles, CA	2,063 mi	$8,973	$4.35	$7,537 – $10,408	5 d
Houston, TX	1,106 mi	$3,759	$3.40	$3,158 – $4,361	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,705 mi	$4,375	$2.57	$3,675 – $5,075	4 d
Philadelphia, PA	787 mi	$2,741	$3.48	$2,302 – $3,179	2 d
San Antonio, TX	1,236 mi	$4,107	$3.32	$3,450 – $4,764	3 d
San Diego, CA	2,034 mi	$8,863	$4.36	$7,445 – $10,281	5 d
Dallas, TX	942 mi	$3,321	$3.53	$2,789 – $3,852	3 d

About this lane

How much does it cost to ship a truckload from Lake Charles, LA to Chicago, IL?

A Step deck from Lake Charles, LA to Chicago, IL is estimated at $3,562 all-in in October 2026, or $3.51 a mile over about 1,016 mi. Quotes typically land between $2,992 and $4,132.

How far is Lake Charles, LA from Chicago, IL by truck?

About 1,016 mi by road, estimated from the straight-line distance. A solo driver covers it in roughly 3 days of transit.

How much of the price is fuel?

About $1,025 of the $3,562 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $2,537 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Chicago, IL to Lake Charles, LA?

The reverse direction is estimated at $5,220, which makes Lake Charles, LA to Chicago, IL 32% cheaper. Direction matters because trucks are scarcer leaving some markets than others.

Lane history applies the current origin and destination adjustments to the national series back to December 2003. Methodology