Lane · STEP · Oct 2026

Washington, DC to Chicago, IL step deck rate

$2,731step deck

+3.5% from last month

Per mile: $3.88
Distance: 704 mi
Typical range: $2,294–$3,168
Transit: 2 days

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

Washington to Chicago price history

3 months: +8.7%
1 year: +18.7%
5 years: +25.2%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $2,021
Fuel: $710
All-in estimate: $2,731

Return trip

Chicago → Washington$4,765

This direction runs 43% below the return trip. Leaving DC prices below the national average and arriving in IL prices below it.

Washington to Chicago by truck type

Estimated cost from Washington, DC to Chicago, IL by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$2,040	$2.90	$1,816 – $2,265
53' refrigerated	$2,433	$3.46	$2,117 – $2,750
48' flatbed	$2,500	$3.55	$2,150 – $2,850
Step deck	$2,731	$3.88	$2,294 – $3,168
Power only	$1,782	$2.53	$1,550 – $2,014
Hotshot	$1,344	$1.91	$1,116 – $1,572
26' box truck	$1,325	$1.88	$1,126 – $1,524
Sprinter van	$816	$1.16	$686 – $947

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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 Washington

Step deck lanes from Washington, DC
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	240 mi	$2,000	$8.33	$1,680 – $2,320	1 d
Los Angeles, CA	2,720 mi	$8,348	$3.07	$7,012 – $9,684	6 d
Houston, TX	1,439 mi	$4,971	$3.45	$4,176 – $5,767	4 d
Phoenix, AZ	2,332 mi	$8,026	$3.44	$6,742 – $9,310	5 d
Philadelphia, PA	149 mi	$1,582	$10.62	$1,329 – $1,835	1 d
San Antonio, TX	1,636 mi	$5,535	$3.38	$4,649 – $6,420	4 d
San Diego, CA	2,675 mi	$8,223	$3.07	$6,908 – $9,539	6 d
Dallas, TX	1,393 mi	$4,840	$3.47	$4,065 – $5,614	3 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 Washington, DC to Chicago, IL?

A Step deck from Washington, DC to Chicago, IL is estimated at $2,731 all-in in October 2026, or $3.88 a mile over about 704 mi. Quotes typically land between $2,294 and $3,168.

How far is Washington, DC from Chicago, IL by truck?

About 704 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 $710 of the $2,731 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $2,021 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Chicago, IL to Washington, DC?

The reverse direction is estimated at $4,765, which makes Washington, DC to Chicago, IL 43% 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