Lane · STEP · Oct 2026

Tuscaloosa, AL to Chicago, IL step deck rate

$2,955step deck

+3.4% from last month

Per mile: $4.22
Distance: 701 mi
Typical range: $2,483–$3,428
Transit: 2 days

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

Tuscaloosa to Chicago price history

3 months: +8.8%
1 year: +18.8%
5 years: +25.2%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $2,248
Fuel: $707
All-in estimate: $2,955

Return trip

Chicago → Tuscaloosa$4,094

This direction runs 28% below the return trip. Leaving AL prices above the national average and arriving in IL prices below it.

Tuscaloosa to Chicago by truck type

Estimated cost from Tuscaloosa, AL to Chicago, IL by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$2,208	$3.15	$1,965 – $2,450
53' refrigerated	$2,633	$3.76	$2,291 – $2,975
48' flatbed	$2,705	$3.86	$2,326 – $3,084
Step deck	$2,955	$4.22	$2,483 – $3,428
Power only	$1,928	$2.75	$1,677 – $2,179
Hotshot	$1,454	$2.07	$1,207 – $1,701
26' box truck	$1,433	$2.04	$1,218 – $1,648
Sprinter van	$883	$1.26	$742 – $1,024

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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 Tuscaloosa

Step deck lanes from Tuscaloosa, AL
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	1,071 mi	$5,517	$5.15	$4,634 – $6,400	3 d
Los Angeles, CA	2,090 mi	$7,170	$3.43	$6,023 – $8,317	5 d
Houston, TX	614 mi	$2,835	$4.62	$2,381 – $3,288	2 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,668 mi	$6,513	$3.90	$5,471 – $7,555	4 d
Philadelphia, PA	980 mi	$4,900	$5.00	$4,116 – $5,684	3 d
San Antonio, TX	825 mi	$3,490	$4.23	$2,931 – $4,048	2 d
San Diego, CA	2,017 mi	$6,951	$3.45	$5,839 – $8,063	5 d
Dallas, TX	632 mi	$2,891	$4.57	$2,428 – $3,353	2 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 Tuscaloosa, AL to Chicago, IL?

A Step deck from Tuscaloosa, AL to Chicago, IL is estimated at $2,955 all-in in October 2026, or $4.22 a mile over about 701 mi. Quotes typically land between $2,483 and $3,428.

How far is Tuscaloosa, AL from Chicago, IL by truck?

About 701 mi by road, estimated from the straight-line distance. A solo driver covers it in roughly 2 days of transit.

How much of the price is fuel?

About $707 of the $2,955 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $2,248 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Chicago, IL to Tuscaloosa, AL?

The reverse direction is estimated at $4,094, which makes Tuscaloosa, AL to Chicago, IL 28% cheaper. 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 →