Lane · FLAT · Oct 2026

Palo Alto, CA to Chicago, IL flatbed rate

$8,653flatbed

+3.4% from last month

Per mile: $3.97
Distance: 2,179 mi
Typical range: $7,442–$9,865
Transit: 5 days

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Flatbed · estimated all-in cost per load · monthly

Palo Alto to Chicago price history

3 months: +8.8%
1 year: +18.5%
5 years: +24.9%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $6,524
Fuel: $2,129
All-in estimate: $8,653

Return trip

Chicago → Palo Alto$7,931

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

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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 Palo Alto

48' flatbed lanes from Palo Alto, CA
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	3,026 mi	$15,833	$5.23	$13,616 – $18,049	7 d
Los Angeles, CA	370 mi	$2,355	$6.36	$2,025 – $2,685	1 d
Houston, TX	1,912 mi	$8,109	$4.24	$6,974 – $9,244	4 d
Phoenix, AZ	736 mi	$4,034	$5.48	$3,469 – $4,599	2 d
Philadelphia, PA	2,964 mi	$14,781	$4.99	$12,712 – $16,851	7 d
San Antonio, TX	1,726 mi	$7,425	$4.30	$6,385 – $8,464	4 d
San Diego, CA	501 mi	$2,821	$5.63	$2,426 – $3,216	2 d
Dallas, TX	1,728 mi	$7,432	$4.30	$6,391 – $8,472	4 d

More lanes into Chicago

48' flatbed lanes into Chicago, IL
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	847 mi	$2,984	$3.52	$2,566 – $3,401	2 d
Los Angeles, CA	2,063 mi	$8,247	$4.00	$7,092 – $9,402	5 d
Houston, TX	1,106 mi	$3,448	$3.12	$2,965 – $3,931	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,705 mi	$4,019	$2.36	$3,456 – $4,581	4 d
Philadelphia, PA	787 mi	$2,510	$3.19	$2,159 – $2,861	2 d
San Antonio, TX	1,236 mi	$3,769	$3.05	$3,241 – $4,296	3 d
San Diego, CA	2,034 mi	$8,145	$4.00	$7,005 – $9,286	5 d
Dallas, TX	942 mi	$3,044	$3.23	$2,618 – $3,470	2 d

About this lane

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

A 48' flatbed from Palo Alto, CA to Chicago, IL is estimated at $8,653 all-in in October 2026, or $3.97 a mile over about 2,179 mi. Quotes typically land between $7,442 and $9,865.

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 $2,129 of the $8,653 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $6,524 is linehaul.

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

The reverse direction is estimated at $7,931, 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 →