Lane · HOT · Oct 2026

Merriam, KS to Chicago, IL hotshot rate

$1,246hotshot

+3.3% from last month

Per mile: $2.53
Distance: 492 mi
Typical range: $1,034–$1,458
Transit: 1 day

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Hotshot · estimated all-in cost per load · monthly

Merriam to Chicago price history

3 months: +8.6%
1 year: +18.8%
5 years: +24.6%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $938
Fuel: $308
All-in estimate: $1,246

Return trip

Chicago → Merriam$1,375

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

Merriam to Chicago by truck type

Estimated cost from Merriam, KS to Chicago, IL by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$1,909	$3.88	$1,699 – $2,119
53' refrigerated	$2,279	$4.63	$1,982 – $2,575
48' flatbed	$2,364	$4.80	$2,033 – $2,695
Step deck	$2,587	$5.26	$2,173 – $3,001
Power only	$1,653	$3.36	$1,438 – $1,868
Hotshot	$1,246	$2.53	$1,034 – $1,458
26' box truck	$1,234	$2.51	$1,049 – $1,419
Sprinter van	$764	$1.55	$642 – $886

More lanes from Merriam

Hotshot lanes from Merriam, KS
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	1,303 mi	$3,618	$2.78	$3,003 – $4,233	3 d
Los Angeles, CA	1,601 mi	$3,222	$2.01	$2,675 – $3,770	4 d
Houston, TX	754 mi	$1,787	$2.37	$1,484 – $2,091	2 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,224 mi	$2,821	$2.30	$2,342 – $3,301	3 d
Philadelphia, PA	1,231 mi	$3,280	$2.66	$2,722 – $3,837	3 d
San Antonio, TX	820 mi	$1,908	$2.33	$1,583 – $2,232	2 d
San Diego, CA	1,561 mi	$3,152	$2.02	$2,616 – $3,688	4 d
Dallas, TX	526 mi	$1,371	$2.61	$1,138 – $1,604	2 d

More lanes into Chicago

Hotshot lanes into Chicago, IL
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	847 mi	$1,619	$1.91	$1,343 – $1,894	2 d
Los Angeles, CA	2,063 mi	$4,618	$2.24	$3,833 – $5,403	4 d
Houston, TX	1,106 mi	$1,892	$1.71	$1,570 – $2,214	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,705 mi	$2,238	$1.31	$1,858 – $2,619	4 d
Philadelphia, PA	787 mi	$1,357	$1.72	$1,126 – $1,588	2 d
San Antonio, TX	1,236 mi	$2,077	$1.68	$1,724 – $2,430	3 d
San Diego, CA	2,034 mi	$4,559	$2.24	$3,784 – $5,334	4 d
Dallas, TX	942 mi	$1,659	$1.76	$1,377 – $1,941	2 d

About this lane

How much does it cost to ship a truckload from Merriam, KS to Chicago, IL?

A Hotshot from Merriam, KS to Chicago, IL is estimated at $1,246 all-in in October 2026, or $2.53 a mile over about 492 mi. Quotes typically land between $1,034 and $1,458.

How far is Merriam, KS from Chicago, IL by truck?

About 492 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 $308 of the $1,246 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $938 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Chicago, IL to Merriam, KS?

The reverse direction is estimated at $1,375, which makes Merriam, KS to Chicago, IL 9% cheaper. Direction matters because trucks are scarcer leaving some markets than others.

Figures are estimates for a standard full load. Get a firm quote for this lane →