Lane · STEP · Oct 2026

Ralston, NE to Chicago, IL step deck rate

$2,702step deck

+3.5% from last month

Per mile: $5.28
Distance: 512 mi
Typical range: $2,270–$3,135
Transit: 2 days

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

Ralston to Chicago price history

3 months: +8.6%
1 year: +18.7%
5 years: +25.1%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $2,186
Fuel: $516
All-in estimate: $2,702

Return trip

Chicago → Ralston$2,841

This direction runs 5% below the return trip. Leaving NE prices above the national average and arriving in IL prices below it.

Ralston to Chicago by truck type

Estimated cost from Ralston, NE to Chicago, IL by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$1,997	$3.90	$1,777 – $2,217
53' refrigerated	$2,383	$4.65	$2,073 – $2,693
48' flatbed	$2,469	$4.82	$2,124 – $2,815
Step deck	$2,702	$5.28	$2,270 – $3,135
Power only	$1,731	$3.38	$1,506 – $1,956
Hotshot	$1,305	$2.55	$1,083 – $1,527
26' box truck	$1,291	$2.52	$1,098 – $1,485
Sprinter van	$799	$1.56	$671 – $927

More lanes from Ralston

Step deck lanes from Ralston, NE
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	1,358 mi	$7,522	$5.54	$6,318 – $8,726	3 d
Los Angeles, CA	1,553 mi	$6,266	$4.03	$5,264 – $7,269	4 d
Houston, TX	932 mi	$4,309	$4.62	$3,619 – $4,998	2 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,209 mi	$5,629	$4.66	$4,728 – $6,530	3 d
Philadelphia, PA	1,294 mi	$6,880	$5.32	$5,779 – $7,981	3 d
San Antonio, TX	971 mi	$4,445	$4.58	$3,734 – $5,156	3 d
San Diego, CA	1,529 mi	$6,185	$4.05	$5,195 – $7,175	4 d
Dallas, TX	687 mi	$3,451	$5.02	$2,899 – $4,004	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 Ralston, NE to Chicago, IL?

A Step deck from Ralston, NE to Chicago, IL is estimated at $2,702 all-in in October 2026, or $5.28 a mile over about 512 mi. Quotes typically land between $2,270 and $3,135.

How far is Ralston, NE from Chicago, IL by truck?

About 512 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 $516 of the $2,702 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $2,186 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Chicago, IL to Ralston, NE?

The reverse direction is estimated at $2,841, which makes Ralston, NE to Chicago, IL 5% 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