Lane · FLAT · Oct 2026

Waltham, MA to Chicago, IL flatbed rate

$2,903flatbed

+3.5% from last month

Per mile: $2.92
Distance: 994 mi
Typical range: $2,497–$3,309
Transit: 3 days

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Flatbed · estimated all-in cost per load · monthly

Waltham to Chicago price history

3 months: +8.5%
1 year: +18.7%
5 years: +24.8%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $1,932
Fuel: $971
All-in estimate: $2,903

Return trip

Chicago → Waltham$5,709

This direction runs 49% below the return trip. Leaving MA prices below the national average and arriving in IL prices below it.

Waltham to Chicago by truck type

Estimated cost from Waltham, MA to Chicago, IL by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$2,390	$2.40	$2,127 – $2,653
53' refrigerated	$2,849	$2.87	$2,478 – $3,219
48' flatbed	$2,903	$2.92	$2,497 – $3,309
Step deck	$3,166	$3.19	$2,660 – $3,673
Power only	$2,102	$2.11	$1,829 – $2,375
Hotshot	$1,586	$1.60	$1,316 – $1,856
26' box truck	$1,558	$1.57	$1,324 – $1,791
Sprinter van	$956	$0.96	$803 – $1,109

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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 Waltham

48' flatbed lanes from Waltham, MA
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	217 mi	$1,566	$7.22	$1,347 – $1,785	1 d
Los Angeles, CA	3,057 mi	$7,678	$2.51	$6,603 – $8,753	7 d
Houston, TX	1,883 mi	$5,158	$2.74	$4,436 – $5,880	4 d
Phoenix, AZ	2,694 mi	$7,552	$2.80	$6,495 – $8,609	6 d
Philadelphia, PA	308 mi	$1,756	$5.70	$1,510 – $2,002	1 d
San Antonio, TX	2,073 mi	$5,608	$2.71	$4,823 – $6,394	5 d
San Diego, CA	3,026 mi	$7,607	$2.51	$6,542 – $8,672	7 d
Dallas, TX	1,816 mi	$4,999	$2.75	$4,299 – $5,699	4 d

More lanes into Chicago

48' flatbed lanes into Chicago, IL
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	847 mi	$2,984	$3.52	$2,566 – $3,401	2 d
Los Angeles, CA	2,063 mi	$8,247	$4.00	$7,092 – $9,402	5 d
Houston, TX	1,106 mi	$3,448	$3.12	$2,965 – $3,931	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,705 mi	$4,019	$2.36	$3,456 – $4,581	4 d
Philadelphia, PA	787 mi	$2,510	$3.19	$2,159 – $2,861	2 d
San Antonio, TX	1,236 mi	$3,769	$3.05	$3,241 – $4,296	3 d
San Diego, CA	2,034 mi	$8,145	$4.00	$7,005 – $9,286	5 d
Dallas, TX	942 mi	$3,044	$3.23	$2,618 – $3,470	2 d

About this lane

How much does it cost to ship a truckload from Waltham, MA to Chicago, IL?

A 48' flatbed from Waltham, MA to Chicago, IL is estimated at $2,903 all-in in October 2026, or $2.92 a mile over about 994 mi. Quotes typically land between $2,497 and $3,309.

How far is Waltham, MA from Chicago, IL by truck?

About 994 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 $971 of the $2,903 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $1,932 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Chicago, IL to Waltham, MA?

The reverse direction is estimated at $5,709, which makes Waltham, MA to Chicago, IL 49% 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