Lane · STEP · Oct 2026

Santa Maria, CA to Chicago, IL step deck rate

$9,318step deck

+3.6% from last month

Per mile: $4.33
Distance: 2,154 mi
Typical range: $7,828–$10,809
Transit: 5 days

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

Santa Maria to Chicago price history

3 months: +8.8%
1 year: +18.6%
5 years: +25.1%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $7,146
Fuel: $2,172
All-in estimate: $9,318

Return trip

Chicago → Santa Maria$8,541

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

Santa Maria to Chicago by truck type

Estimated cost from Santa Maria, CA to Chicago, IL by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$7,150	$3.32	$6,363 – $7,936
53' refrigerated	$8,516	$3.95	$7,409 – $9,623
48' flatbed	$8,566	$3.98	$7,366 – $9,765
Step deck	$9,318	$4.33	$7,828 – $10,809
Power only	$6,359	$2.95	$5,532 – $7,186
Hotshot	$4,801	$2.23	$3,985 – $5,617
26' box truck	$4,689	$2.18	$3,985 – $5,392
Sprinter van	$2,860	$1.33	$2,402 – $3,318

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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 Maria

Step deck lanes from Santa Maria, CA
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	2,997 mi	$17,061	$5.69	$14,331 – $19,791	7 d
Los Angeles, CA	156 mi	$1,756	$11.26	$1,475 – $2,037	1 d
Houston, TX	1,771 mi	$8,262	$4.66	$6,940 – $9,583	4 d
Phoenix, AZ	574 mi	$3,717	$6.48	$3,122 – $4,311	2 d
Philadelphia, PA	2,929 mi	$15,897	$5.43	$13,353 – $18,440	7 d
San Antonio, TX	1,573 mi	$7,471	$4.75	$6,276 – $8,667	4 d
San Diego, CA	283 mi	$2,246	$7.94	$1,887 – $2,606	1 d
Dallas, TX	1,609 mi	$7,615	$4.73	$6,397 – $8,834	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 Maria, CA to Chicago, IL?

A Step deck from Santa Maria, CA to Chicago, IL is estimated at $9,318 all-in in October 2026, or $4.33 a mile over about 2,154 mi. Quotes typically land between $7,828 and $10,809.

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

About 2,154 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 $2,172 of the $9,318 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $7,146 is linehaul.

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

The reverse direction is estimated at $8,541, which makes Santa Maria, 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