Lane · STEP · Oct 2026

Merriam, KS to Chicago, IL step deck rate

$2,587step deck

+3.4% from last month

Per mile: $5.26
Distance: 492 mi
Typical range: $2,173–$3,001
Transit: 2 days

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

Merriam to Chicago price history

3 months: +8.7%
1 year: +18.7%
5 years: +25.0%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $2,091
Fuel: $496
All-in estimate: $2,587

Return trip

Chicago → Merriam$2,856

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

Step deck lanes from Merriam, KS
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	1,303 mi	$7,139	$5.48	$5,997 – $8,282	3 d
Los Angeles, CA	1,601 mi	$6,311	$3.94	$5,301 – $7,321	4 d
Houston, TX	754 mi	$3,618	$4.80	$3,040 – $4,197	2 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,224 mi	$5,581	$4.56	$4,688 – $6,474	3 d
Philadelphia, PA	1,231 mi	$6,487	$5.27	$5,449 – $7,525	3 d
San Antonio, TX	820 mi	$3,845	$4.69	$3,230 – $4,460	2 d
San Diego, CA	1,561 mi	$6,178	$3.96	$5,190 – $7,167	4 d
Dallas, TX	526 mi	$2,835	$5.39	$2,382 – $3,289	2 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 Merriam, KS to Chicago, IL?

A Step deck from Merriam, KS to Chicago, IL is estimated at $2,587 all-in in October 2026, or $5.26 a mile over about 492 mi. Quotes typically land between $2,173 and $3,001.

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 2 days of transit.

How much of the price is fuel?

About $496 of the $2,587 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $2,091 is linehaul.

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

The reverse direction is estimated at $2,856, which makes Merriam, KS to Chicago, IL 9% 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