Lane · STEP · Oct 2026

San Francisco, CA to Chicago, IL step deck rate

$9,584step deck

+3.4% from last month

Per mile: $4.31
Distance: 2,224 mi
Typical range: $8,051–$11,118
Transit: 5 days

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

San Francisco to Chicago price history

3 months: +8.6%
1 year: +18.7%
5 years: +24.9%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $7,341
Fuel: $2,243
All-in estimate: $9,584

Return trip

Chicago → San Francisco$8,784

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

San Francisco to Chicago by truck type

Estimated cost from San Francisco, CA to Chicago, IL by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$7,358	$3.31	$6,548 – $8,167
53' refrigerated	$8,763	$3.94	$7,624 – $9,902
48' flatbed	$8,811	$3.96	$7,577 – $10,044
Step deck	$9,584	$4.31	$8,051 – $11,118
Power only	$6,546	$2.94	$5,695 – $7,397
Hotshot	$4,942	$2.22	$4,102 – $5,783
26' box truck	$4,826	$2.17	$4,102 – $5,550
Sprinter van	$2,943	$1.32	$2,472 – $3,414

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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 San Francisco

Step deck lanes from San Francisco, CA
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	3,071 mi	$17,444	$5.68	$14,653 – $20,235	7 d
Los Angeles, CA	430 mi	$2,813	$6.54	$2,363 – $3,264	1 d
Houston, TX	1,974 mi	$9,072	$4.60	$7,620 – $10,523	5 d
Phoenix, AZ	799 mi	$4,674	$5.85	$3,926 – $5,422	2 d
Philadelphia, PA	3,009 mi	$16,291	$5.41	$13,684 – $18,897	7 d
San Antonio, TX	1,789 mi	$8,333	$4.66	$7,000 – $9,667	4 d
San Diego, CA	561 mi	$3,319	$5.92	$2,788 – $3,850	2 d
Dallas, TX	1,788 mi	$8,329	$4.66	$6,997 – $9,662	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 San Francisco, CA to Chicago, IL?

A Step deck from San Francisco, CA to Chicago, IL is estimated at $9,584 all-in in October 2026, or $4.31 a mile over about 2,224 mi. Quotes typically land between $8,051 and $11,118.

How far is San Francisco, CA from Chicago, IL by truck?

About 2,224 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 $2,243 of the $9,584 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $7,341 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Chicago, IL to San Francisco, CA?

The reverse direction is estimated at $8,784, which makes San Francisco, CA to Chicago, IL 9% more expensive. 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