Lane · STEP · Oct 2026

Princeton, NJ to Chicago, IL step deck rate

$3,097step deck

+3.2% from last month

Per mile: $3.83
Distance: 808 mi
Typical range: $2,601–$3,592
Transit: 2 days

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

Princeton to Chicago price history

3 months: +8.5%
1 year: +18.6%
5 years: +24.7%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $2,282
Fuel: $815
All-in estimate: $3,097

Return trip

Chicago → Princeton$4,838

This direction runs 36% below the return trip. Leaving NJ prices above the national average and arriving in IL prices below it.

Princeton to Chicago by truck type

Estimated cost from Princeton, NJ to Chicago, IL by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$2,324	$2.88	$2,068 – $2,579
53' refrigerated	$2,771	$3.43	$2,410 – $3,131
48' flatbed	$2,837	$3.51	$2,440 – $3,234
Step deck	$3,097	$3.83	$2,601 – $3,592
Power only	$2,035	$2.52	$1,771 – $2,300
Hotshot	$1,535	$1.90	$1,274 – $1,796
26' box truck	$1,511	$1.87	$1,285 – $1,738
Sprinter van	$929	$1.15	$781 – $1,078

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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 Princeton

Step deck lanes from Princeton, NJ
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
Los Angeles, CA	2,858 mi	$8,969	$3.14	$7,534 – $10,404	7 d
Houston, TX	1,623 mi	$5,648	$3.48	$4,745 – $6,552	4 d
Phoenix, AZ	2,480 mi	$8,710	$3.51	$7,316 – $10,104	6 d
San Antonio, TX	1,817 mi	$6,219	$3.42	$5,224 – $7,214	4 d
San Diego, CA	2,819 mi	$8,858	$3.14	$7,441 – $10,275	6 d
Dallas, TX	1,567 mi	$5,484	$3.50	$4,607 – $6,361	4 d
Jacksonville, FL	939 mi	$5,299	$5.64	$4,451 – $6,147	2 d
Fort Worth, TX	1,603 mi	$5,590	$3.49	$4,695 – $6,484	4 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 Princeton, NJ to Chicago, IL?

A Step deck from Princeton, NJ to Chicago, IL is estimated at $3,097 all-in in October 2026, or $3.83 a mile over about 808 mi. Quotes typically land between $2,601 and $3,592.

How far is Princeton, NJ from Chicago, IL by truck?

About 808 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 $815 of the $3,097 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $2,282 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Chicago, IL to Princeton, NJ?

The reverse direction is estimated at $4,838, which makes Princeton, NJ to Chicago, IL 36% 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