Lane · STEP · Oct 2026

San Marcos, TX to Chicago, IL step deck rate

$3,973step deck

+3.4% from last month

Per mile: $3.35
Distance: 1,186 mi
Typical range: $3,338–$4,609
Transit: 3 days

Request a firm quote

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

San Marcos to Chicago price history

3 months: +8.8%
1 year: +18.8%
5 years: +25.0%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $2,777
Fuel: $1,196
All-in estimate: $3,973

Return trip

Chicago → San Marcos$5,349

This direction runs 26% below the return trip. Leaving TX prices below the national average and arriving in IL prices below it.

San Marcos to Chicago by truck type

Estimated cost from San Marcos, TX to Chicago, IL by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$3,012	$2.54	$2,681 – $3,344
53' refrigerated	$3,590	$3.03	$3,123 – $4,057
48' flatbed	$3,645	$3.07	$3,135 – $4,156
Step deck	$3,973	$3.35	$3,338 – $4,609
Power only	$2,658	$2.24	$2,312 – $3,003
Hotshot	$2,006	$1.69	$1,665 – $2,347
26' box truck	$1,967	$1.66	$1,672 – $2,262
Sprinter van	$1,205	$1.02	$1,012 – $1,398

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 step deck →

More lanes from San Marcos

Step deck lanes from San Marcos, TX
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	1,815 mi	$7,707	$4.25	$6,474 – $8,940	4 d
Los Angeles, CA	1,453 mi	$4,761	$3.28	$3,999 – $5,523	4 d
Houston, TX	180 mi	$1,347	$7.48	$1,131 – $1,563	1 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,026 mi	$3,973	$3.87	$3,337 – $4,608	3 d
Philadelphia, PA	1,726 mi	$7,024	$4.07	$5,900 – $8,148	4 d
San Diego, CA	1,356 mi	$4,498	$3.32	$3,778 – $5,217	3 d
Dallas, TX	252 mi	$1,549	$6.15	$1,301 – $1,797	1 d
Jacksonville, FL	1,148 mi	$5,924	$5.16	$4,976 – $6,872	3 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 Marcos, TX to Chicago, IL?

A Step deck from San Marcos, TX to Chicago, IL is estimated at $3,973 all-in in October 2026, or $3.35 a mile over about 1,186 mi. Quotes typically land between $3,338 and $4,609.

How far is San Marcos, TX from Chicago, IL by truck?

About 1,186 mi by road, estimated from the straight-line distance. A solo driver covers it in roughly 3 days of transit.

How much of the price is fuel?

About $1,196 of the $3,973 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $2,777 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Chicago, IL to San Marcos, TX?

The reverse direction is estimated at $5,349, which makes San Marcos, TX to Chicago, IL 26% 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