Lane · STEP · Oct 2026

Lead, SD to Chicago, IL step deck rate

$4,209step deck

+3.4% from last month

Per mile: $4.31
Distance: 977 mi
Typical range: $3,535–$4,882
Transit: 3 days

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

Lead to Chicago price history

3 months: +8.8%
1 year: +18.7%
5 years: +24.9%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $3,224
Fuel: $985
All-in estimate: $4,209

Return trip

Chicago → Lead$4,691

This direction runs 10% below the return trip. Leaving SD prices above the national average and arriving in IL prices below it.

Lead to Chicago by truck type

Estimated cost from Lead, SD to Chicago, IL by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$3,175	$3.25	$2,826 – $3,524
53' refrigerated	$3,785	$3.87	$3,293 – $4,277
48' flatbed	$3,858	$3.95	$3,318 – $4,398
Step deck	$4,209	$4.31	$3,535 – $4,882
Power only	$2,792	$2.86	$2,429 – $3,155
Hotshot	$2,106	$2.16	$1,748 – $2,464
26' box truck	$2,069	$2.12	$1,759 – $2,380
Sprinter van	$1,270	$1.30	$1,067 – $1,473

Live market check

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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 Lead

Step deck lanes from Lead, SD
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	1,808 mi	$9,469	$5.24	$7,954 – $10,984	4 d
Los Angeles, CA	1,248 mi	$5,182	$4.15	$4,353 – $6,011	3 d
Houston, TX	1,305 mi	$5,558	$4.26	$4,669 – $6,447	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,024 mi	$4,889	$4.77	$4,107 – $5,672	3 d
Philadelphia, PA	1,756 mi	$8,786	$5.00	$7,381 – $10,192	4 d
San Antonio, TX	1,260 mi	$5,402	$4.29	$4,538 – $6,266	3 d
San Diego, CA	1,266 mi	$5,243	$4.14	$4,404 – $6,081	3 d
Dallas, TX	1,042 mi	$4,647	$4.46	$3,903 – $5,390	3 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 Lead, SD to Chicago, IL?

A Step deck from Lead, SD to Chicago, IL is estimated at $4,209 all-in in October 2026, or $4.31 a mile over about 977 mi. Quotes typically land between $3,535 and $4,882.

How far is Lead, SD from Chicago, IL by truck?

About 977 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 $985 of the $4,209 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $3,224 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Chicago, IL to Lead, SD?

The reverse direction is estimated at $4,691, which makes Lead, SD to Chicago, IL 10% 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