Lane · STEP · Oct 2026

North Chicago, IL to Houston, TX step deck rate

$5,165step deck

+3.4% from last month

Per mile: $4.55
Distance: 1,135 mi
Typical range: $4,339–$5,991
Transit: 3 days

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

North Chicago to Houston price history

3 months: +8.6%
1 year: +18.8%
5 years: +25.0%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $4,020
Fuel: $1,145
All-in estimate: $5,165

Return trip

Houston → North Chicago$3,837

This direction runs 35% above the return trip. Leaving IL prices above the national average and arriving in TX prices below it.

North Chicago to Houston by truck type

Estimated cost from North Chicago, IL to Houston, TX by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$3,912	$3.45	$3,481 – $4,342
53' refrigerated	$4,662	$4.11	$4,056 – $5,268
48' flatbed	$4,738	$4.17	$4,075 – $5,401
Step deck	$5,165	$4.55	$4,339 – $5,991
Power only	$3,449	$3.04	$3,000 – $3,897
Hotshot	$2,602	$2.29	$2,160 – $3,045
26' box truck	$2,553	$2.25	$2,170 – $2,936
Sprinter van	$1,565	$1.38	$1,314 – $1,815

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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 North Chicago

Step deck lanes from North Chicago, IL
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	860 mi	$5,415	$6.30	$4,548 – $6,281	2 d
Los Angeles, CA	2,059 mi	$8,210	$3.99	$6,896 – $9,524	5 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,705 mi	$7,698	$4.51	$6,466 – $8,929	4 d
Philadelphia, PA	803 mi	$4,898	$6.10	$4,114 – $5,682	2 d
San Antonio, TX	1,260 mi	$5,615	$4.46	$4,717 – $6,514	3 d
San Diego, CA	2,032 mi	$8,116	$3.99	$6,817 – $9,415	5 d
Dallas, TX	965 mi	$4,553	$4.72	$3,824 – $5,281	3 d
Jacksonville, FL	1,057 mi	$7,113	$6.73	$5,975 – $8,251	3 d

More lanes into Houston

Step deck lanes into Houston, TX
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	1,675 mi	$5,893	$3.52	$4,950 – $6,836	4 d
Los Angeles, CA	1,627 mi	$7,687	$4.72	$6,457 – $8,917	4 d
Chicago, IL	1,106 mi	$5,061	$4.58	$4,251 – $5,870	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,198 mi	$3,434	$2.87	$2,884 – $3,983	3 d
Philadelphia, PA	1,585 mi	$4,995	$3.15	$4,196 – $5,794	4 d
San Antonio, TX	224 mi	$1,471	$6.57	$1,235 – $1,706	1 d
San Diego, CA	1,532 mi	$7,308	$4.77	$6,139 – $8,477	4 d
Dallas, TX	263 mi	$1,580	$6.01	$1,327 – $1,833	1 d

About this lane

How much does it cost to ship a truckload from North Chicago, IL to Houston, TX?

A Step deck from North Chicago, IL to Houston, TX is estimated at $5,165 all-in in October 2026, or $4.55 a mile over about 1,135 mi. Quotes typically land between $4,339 and $5,991.

How far is North Chicago, IL from Houston, TX by truck?

About 1,135 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 $1,145 of the $5,165 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $4,020 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Houston, TX to North Chicago, IL?

The reverse direction is estimated at $3,837, which makes North Chicago, IL to Houston, TX 35% more expensive. 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 →