Lane · STEP · Oct 2026

New Orleans, LA to Chicago, IL step deck rate

$3,443step deck

+3.2% from last month

Per mile: $3.54
Distance: 972 mi
Typical range: $2,892–$3,994
Transit: 3 days

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

New Orleans to Chicago price history

3 months: +8.6%
1 year: +18.8%
5 years: +25.1%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $2,463
Fuel: $980
All-in estimate: $3,443

Return trip

Chicago → New Orleans$5,045

This direction runs 32% below the return trip. Leaving LA prices below the national average and arriving in IL prices below it.

New Orleans to Chicago by truck type

Estimated cost from New Orleans, LA to Chicago, IL by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$2,597	$2.67	$2,311 – $2,883
53' refrigerated	$3,096	$3.19	$2,693 – $3,498
48' flatbed	$3,156	$3.25	$2,714 – $3,598
Step deck	$3,443	$3.54	$2,892 – $3,994
Power only	$2,283	$2.35	$1,986 – $2,580
Hotshot	$1,723	$1.77	$1,430 – $2,016
26' box truck	$1,692	$1.74	$1,439 – $1,946
Sprinter van	$1,039	$1.07	$873 – $1,205

Live market check

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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 New Orleans

Step deck lanes from New Orleans, LA
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	1,367 mi	$6,150	$4.50	$5,166 – $7,133	3 d
Los Angeles, CA	1,988 mi	$6,292	$3.16	$5,285 – $7,299	5 d
Houston, TX	386 mi	$1,950	$5.05	$1,638 – $2,262	1 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,558 mi	$5,636	$3.62	$4,734 – $6,538	4 d
Philadelphia, PA	1,276 mi	$5,531	$4.33	$4,646 – $6,416	3 d
San Antonio, TX	610 mi	$2,587	$4.24	$2,173 – $3,001	2 d
San Diego, CA	1,900 mi	$6,050	$3.18	$5,082 – $7,018	5 d
Dallas, TX	525 mi	$2,345	$4.47	$1,970 – $2,721	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 New Orleans, LA to Chicago, IL?

A Step deck from New Orleans, LA to Chicago, IL is estimated at $3,443 all-in in October 2026, or $3.54 a mile over about 972 mi. Quotes typically land between $2,892 and $3,994.

How far is New Orleans, LA from Chicago, IL by truck?

About 972 mi by road, estimated from the straight-line distance. A solo driver covers it in roughly 3 days of transit.

How much of the price is fuel?

About $980 of the $3,443 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $2,463 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Chicago, IL to New Orleans, LA?

The reverse direction is estimated at $5,045, which makes New Orleans, LA to Chicago, IL 32% 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 →