Lane · STEP · Oct 2026

Merced, CA to Chicago, IL step deck rate

$9,041step deck

+3.3% from last month

Per mile: $4.34
Distance: 2,081 mi
Typical range: $7,595–$10,488
Transit: 5 days

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

Merced to Chicago price history

3 months: +8.5%
1 year: +18.6%
5 years: +24.7%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $6,943
Fuel: $2,098
All-in estimate: $9,041

Return trip

Chicago → Merced$8,287

This direction runs 9% above the return trip. Leaving CA prices above the national average and arriving in IL prices below it.

Merced to Chicago by truck type

Estimated cost from Merced, CA to Chicago, IL by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$6,933	$3.33	$6,171 – $7,696
53' refrigerated	$8,258	$3.97	$7,185 – $9,332
48' flatbed	$8,310	$3.99	$7,147 – $9,473
Step deck	$9,041	$4.34	$7,595 – $10,488
Power only	$6,164	$2.96	$5,363 – $6,965
Hotshot	$4,654	$2.24	$3,863 – $5,445
26' box truck	$4,546	$2.18	$3,864 – $5,227
Sprinter van	$2,773	$1.33	$2,330 – $3,217

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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 Merced

Step deck lanes from Merced, CA
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	2,928 mi	$16,704	$5.70	$14,031 – $19,377	7 d
Los Angeles, CA	301 mi	$2,316	$7.69	$1,945 – $2,686	1 d
Houston, TX	1,805 mi	$8,397	$4.65	$7,054 – $9,741	4 d
Phoenix, AZ	635 mi	$3,976	$6.26	$3,340 – $4,612	2 d
Philadelphia, PA	2,864 mi	$15,577	$5.44	$13,084 – $18,069	7 d
San Antonio, TX	1,621 mi	$7,663	$4.73	$6,437 – $8,889	4 d
San Diego, CA	429 mi	$2,810	$6.55	$2,360 – $3,259	1 d
Dallas, TX	1,620 mi	$7,659	$4.73	$6,434 – $8,884	4 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 Merced, CA to Chicago, IL?

A Step deck from Merced, CA to Chicago, IL is estimated at $9,041 all-in in October 2026, or $4.34 a mile over about 2,081 mi. Quotes typically land between $7,595 and $10,488.

How far is Merced, CA from Chicago, IL by truck?

About 2,081 mi by road, estimated from the straight-line distance. A solo driver covers it in roughly 5 days of transit.

How much of the price is fuel?

About $2,098 of the $9,041 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $6,943 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Chicago, IL to Merced, CA?

The reverse direction is estimated at $8,287, which makes Merced, CA to Chicago, IL 9% more expensive. 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