Lane · VAN · Oct 2026

Palo Alto, CA to Chicago, IL dry van rate

$7,224dry van

+5.7% from last month

Per mile: $3.32
Distance: 2,179 mi
Typical range: $6,429–$8,019
Transit: 5 days

Request a firm quote

Dry van · estimated all-in cost per load · monthly

Palo Alto to Chicago price history

3 months: +14.1%
1 year: +25.3%
5 years: +32.8%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $5,221
Fuel: $2,003
All-in estimate: $7,224

Return trip

Chicago → Palo Alto$6,621

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

Palo Alto to Chicago by truck type

Estimated cost from Palo Alto, CA to Chicago, IL by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$7,224	$3.32	$6,429 – $8,019
53' refrigerated	$8,604	$3.95	$7,486 – $9,723
48' flatbed	$8,653	$3.97	$7,442 – $9,865
Step deck	$9,413	$4.32	$7,907 – $10,920
Power only	$6,426	$2.95	$5,590 – $7,261
Hotshot	$4,852	$2.23	$4,027 – $5,676
26' box truck	$4,738	$2.17	$4,027 – $5,448
Sprinter van	$2,890	$1.33	$2,427 – $3,352

Live market check

Get live dry van quotes on this lane

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.

Request a quote for dry van →

More lanes from Palo Alto

53' dry van lanes from Palo Alto, CA
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	3,026 mi	$13,269	$4.38	$11,809 – $14,728	6 d
Los Angeles, CA	370 mi	$1,885	$5.09	$1,678 – $2,092	1 d
Houston, TX	1,912 mi	$6,757	$3.53	$6,014 – $7,500	4 d
Phoenix, AZ	736 mi	$3,296	$4.48	$2,934 – $3,659	2 d
Philadelphia, PA	2,964 mi	$12,385	$4.18	$11,023 – $13,747	6 d
San Antonio, TX	1,726 mi	$6,177	$3.58	$5,498 – $6,857	4 d
San Diego, CA	501 mi	$2,280	$4.55	$2,029 – $2,530	1 d
Dallas, TX	1,728 mi	$6,183	$3.58	$5,503 – $6,864	4 d

More lanes into Chicago

53' dry van lanes into Chicago, IL
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	847 mi	$2,447	$2.89	$2,178 – $2,716	2 d
Los Angeles, CA	2,063 mi	$6,880	$3.33	$6,123 – $7,637	4 d
Houston, TX	1,106 mi	$2,845	$2.57	$2,532 – $3,158	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,705 mi	$3,343	$1.96	$2,975 – $3,711	4 d
Philadelphia, PA	787 mi	$2,055	$2.61	$1,829 – $2,281	2 d
San Antonio, TX	1,236 mi	$3,117	$2.52	$2,774 – $3,460	3 d
San Diego, CA	2,034 mi	$6,794	$3.34	$6,046 – $7,541	4 d
Dallas, TX	942 mi	$2,503	$2.66	$2,227 – $2,778	2 d

About this lane

How much does it cost to ship a truckload from Palo Alto, CA to Chicago, IL?

A 53' dry van from Palo Alto, CA to Chicago, IL is estimated at $7,224 all-in in October 2026, or $3.32 a mile over about 2,179 mi. Quotes typically land between $6,429 and $8,019.

How far is Palo Alto, CA from Chicago, IL by truck?

About 2,179 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 $2,003 of the $7,224 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $5,221 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Chicago, IL to Palo Alto, CA?

The reverse direction is estimated at $6,621, which makes Palo Alto, CA to Chicago, IL 9% 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 →