Lane · STEP · Oct 2026

Lincoln, ND to Chicago, IL step deck rate

$3,816step deck

+3.5% from last month

Per mile: $4.45
Distance: 858 mi
Typical range: $3,206–$4,427
Transit: 2 days

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

Lincoln to Chicago price history

3 months: +8.8%
1 year: +18.6%
5 years: +25.0%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $2,951
Fuel: $865
All-in estimate: $3,816

Return trip

Chicago → Lincoln$4,564

This direction runs 16% below the return trip. Leaving ND prices above the national average and arriving in IL prices below it.

Lincoln to Chicago by truck type

Estimated cost from Lincoln, ND to Chicago, IL by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$2,868	$3.34	$2,553 – $3,184
53' refrigerated	$3,420	$3.99	$2,975 – $3,865
48' flatbed	$3,497	$4.08	$3,007 – $3,986
Step deck	$3,816	$4.45	$3,206 – $4,427
Power only	$2,516	$2.93	$2,189 – $2,843
Hotshot	$1,898	$2.21	$1,575 – $2,221
26' box truck	$1,867	$2.18	$1,587 – $2,147
Sprinter van	$1,147	$1.34	$964 – $1,331

More lanes from Lincoln

Step deck lanes from Lincoln, ND
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	1,644 mi	$8,732	$5.31	$7,335 – $10,129	4 d
Los Angeles, CA	1,507 mi	$6,050	$4.01	$5,082 – $7,018	4 d
Houston, TX	1,425 mi	$5,974	$4.19	$5,018 – $6,930	4 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,286 mi	$5,858	$4.55	$4,920 – $6,795	3 d
Philadelphia, PA	1,603 mi	$8,132	$5.07	$6,831 – $9,433	4 d
San Antonio, TX	1,418 mi	$5,950	$4.20	$4,998 – $6,901	4 d
San Diego, CA	1,528 mi	$6,120	$4.01	$5,141 – $7,099	4 d
Dallas, TX	1,165 mi	$5,073	$4.35	$4,261 – $5,885	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 Lincoln, ND to Chicago, IL?

A Step deck from Lincoln, ND to Chicago, IL is estimated at $3,816 all-in in October 2026, or $4.45 a mile over about 858 mi. Quotes typically land between $3,206 and $4,427.

How far is Lincoln, ND from Chicago, IL by truck?

About 858 mi by road, estimated from the straight-line distance. A solo driver covers it in roughly 2 days of transit.

How much of the price is fuel?

About $865 of the $3,816 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $2,951 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Chicago, IL to Lincoln, ND?

The reverse direction is estimated at $4,564, which makes Lincoln, ND to Chicago, IL 16% 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