Lane · STEP · Oct 2026

Santa Monica, CA to Chicago, IL step deck rate

$8,996step deck

+3.3% from last month

Per mile: $4.35
Distance: 2,069 mi
Typical range: $7,556–$10,435
Transit: 5 days

Request a firm quote

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

Santa Monica to Chicago price history

3 months: +8.7%
1 year: +18.8%
5 years: +25.0%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $6,910
Fuel: $2,086
All-in estimate: $8,996

Return trip

Chicago → Santa Monica$8,245

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

Santa Monica to Chicago by truck type

Estimated cost from Santa Monica, CA to Chicago, IL by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$6,898	$3.33	$6,139 – $7,656
53' refrigerated	$8,216	$3.97	$7,148 – $9,284
48' flatbed	$8,268	$4.00	$7,110 – $9,425
Step deck	$8,996	$4.35	$7,556 – $10,435
Power only	$6,132	$2.96	$5,335 – $6,929
Hotshot	$4,630	$2.24	$3,843 – $5,417
26' box truck	$4,522	$2.19	$3,844 – $5,200
Sprinter van	$2,759	$1.33	$2,318 – $3,200

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 Santa Monica

Step deck lanes from Santa Monica, CA
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	2,907 mi	$16,595	$5.71	$13,940 – $19,251	7 d
Houston, TX	1,633 mi	$7,711	$4.72	$6,477 – $8,945	4 d
Phoenix, AZ	436 mi	$3,129	$7.18	$2,629 – $3,630	1 d
Philadelphia, PA	2,837 mi	$15,444	$5.44	$12,973 – $17,915	7 d
San Antonio, TX	1,431 mi	$6,905	$4.83	$5,800 – $8,010	4 d
San Diego, CA	135 mi	$1,675	$12.41	$1,407 – $1,943	1 d
Dallas, TX	1,480 mi	$7,100	$4.80	$5,964 – $8,236	4 d
Jacksonville, FL	2,546 mi	$16,537	$6.50	$13,891 – $19,183	6 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 Monica, CA to Chicago, IL?

A Step deck from Santa Monica, CA to Chicago, IL is estimated at $8,996 all-in in October 2026, or $4.35 a mile over about 2,069 mi. Quotes typically land between $7,556 and $10,435.

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

About 2,069 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 $2,086 of the $8,996 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $6,910 is linehaul.

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

The reverse direction is estimated at $8,245, which makes Santa Monica, 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 →