Lane · STEP · Oct 2026

Madison, WI to Chicago, IL step deck rate

$1,468step deck

+3.4% from last month

Per mile: $10.06
Distance: 146 mi
Typical range: $1,233–$1,703
Transit: 1 day

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

Madison to Chicago price history

3 months: +8.7%
1 year: +18.8%
5 years: +25.0%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $1,321
Fuel: $147
All-in estimate: $1,468

Return trip

Chicago → Madison$1,600

This direction runs 8% below the return trip. Leaving WI prices above the national average and arriving in IL prices below it.

Madison to Chicago by truck type

Estimated cost from Madison, WI to Chicago, IL by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$1,034	$7.08	$920 – $1,148
53' refrigerated	$1,237	$8.47	$1,076 – $1,398
48' flatbed	$1,332	$9.12	$1,146 – $1,519
Step deck	$1,468	$10.06	$1,233 – $1,703
Power only	$865	$5.92	$752 – $977
Hotshot	$651	$4.46	$540 – $761
26' box truck	$656	$4.49	$558 – $755
Sprinter van	$414	$2.83	$347 – $480

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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 Madison

Step deck lanes from Madison, WI
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	960 mi	$5,659	$5.89	$4,753 – $6,564	3 d
Los Angeles, CA	1,978 mi	$7,627	$3.86	$6,407 – $8,848	5 d
Houston, TX	1,152 mi	$5,028	$4.36	$4,223 – $5,832	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,636 mi	$7,151	$4.37	$6,007 – $8,295	4 d
Philadelphia, PA	906 mi	$5,153	$5.69	$4,328 – $5,977	2 d
San Antonio, TX	1,260 mi	$5,402	$4.29	$4,538 – $6,266	3 d
San Diego, CA	1,956 mi	$7,554	$3.86	$6,345 – $8,762	5 d
Dallas, TX	962 mi	$4,370	$4.54	$3,671 – $5,069	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 Madison, WI to Chicago, IL?

A Step deck from Madison, WI to Chicago, IL is estimated at $1,468 all-in in October 2026, or $10.06 a mile over about 146 mi. Quotes typically land between $1,233 and $1,703.

How far is Madison, WI from Chicago, IL by truck?

About 146 mi by road, estimated from the straight-line distance. A solo driver covers it in roughly 1 day of transit.

How much of the price is fuel?

About $147 of the $1,468 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $1,321 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Chicago, IL to Madison, WI?

The reverse direction is estimated at $1,600, which makes Madison, WI to Chicago, IL 8% 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