Lane · STEP · Oct 2026

Santa Cruz, CA to Chicago, IL step deck rate

$9,436step deck

+3.4% from last month

Per mile: $4.32
Distance: 2,185 mi
Typical range: $7,926–$10,946
Transit: 5 days

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

Santa Cruz to Chicago price history

3 months: +8.8%
1 year: +18.7%
5 years: +24.9%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $7,233
Fuel: $2,203
All-in estimate: $9,436

Return trip

Chicago → Santa Cruz$8,649

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

Santa Cruz to Chicago by truck type

Estimated cost from Santa Cruz, CA to Chicago, IL by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$7,242	$3.31	$6,445 – $8,038
53' refrigerated	$8,625	$3.95	$7,504 – $9,747
48' flatbed	$8,674	$3.97	$7,460 – $9,889
Step deck	$9,436	$4.32	$7,926 – $10,946
Power only	$6,442	$2.95	$5,604 – $7,279
Hotshot	$4,864	$2.23	$4,037 – $5,691
26' box truck	$4,749	$2.17	$4,037 – $5,462
Sprinter van	$2,897	$1.33	$2,433 – $3,360

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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 Santa Cruz

Step deck lanes from Santa Cruz, CA
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	3,032 mi	$17,242	$5.69	$14,483 – $20,001	7 d
Los Angeles, CA	340 mi	$2,466	$7.25	$2,072 – $2,861	1 d
Houston, TX	1,899 mi	$8,772	$4.62	$7,369 – $10,176	5 d
Phoenix, AZ	717 mi	$4,325	$6.03	$3,633 – $5,017	2 d
Philadelphia, PA	2,969 mi	$16,094	$5.42	$13,519 – $18,669	7 d
San Antonio, TX	1,711 mi	$8,022	$4.69	$6,739 – $9,306	4 d
San Diego, CA	471 mi	$2,972	$6.31	$2,496 – $3,447	2 d
Dallas, TX	1,719 mi	$8,054	$4.69	$6,765 – $9,343	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 Santa Cruz, CA to Chicago, IL?

A Step deck from Santa Cruz, CA to Chicago, IL is estimated at $9,436 all-in in October 2026, or $4.32 a mile over about 2,185 mi. Quotes typically land between $7,926 and $10,946.

How far is Santa Cruz, CA from Chicago, IL by truck?

About 2,185 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 $2,203 of the $9,436 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $7,233 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Chicago, IL to Santa Cruz, CA?

The reverse direction is estimated at $8,649, which makes Santa Cruz, 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 →