Lane · FLAT · Oct 2026

Waterloo, IA to Chicago, IL flatbed rate

$1,678flatbed

+3.5% from last month

Per mile: $5.85
Distance: 287 mi
Typical range: $1,443–$1,913
Transit: 1 day

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Flatbed · estimated all-in cost per load · monthly

Waterloo to Chicago price history

3 months: +8.7%
1 year: +18.7%
5 years: +25.0%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $1,398
Fuel: $280
All-in estimate: $1,678

Return trip

Chicago → Waterloo$1,870

This direction runs 10% below the return trip. Leaving IA prices above the national average and arriving in IL prices below it.

Waterloo to Chicago by truck type

Estimated cost from Waterloo, IA to Chicago, IL by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$1,332	$4.64	$1,185 – $1,478
53' refrigerated	$1,591	$5.54	$1,384 – $1,798
48' flatbed	$1,678	$5.85	$1,443 – $1,913
Step deck	$1,842	$6.42	$1,548 – $2,137
Power only	$1,136	$3.96	$988 – $1,283
Hotshot	$855	$2.98	$710 – $1,001
26' box truck	$854	$2.97	$726 – $982
Sprinter van	$533	$1.86	$447 – $618

Live market check

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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 Waterloo

48' flatbed lanes from Waterloo, IA
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	1,131 mi	$5,618	$4.97	$4,832 – $6,405	3 d
Los Angeles, CA	1,797 mi	$6,148	$3.42	$5,287 – $7,008	4 d
Houston, TX	1,055 mi	$4,101	$3.89	$3,526 – $4,675	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,456 mi	$5,675	$3.90	$4,881 – $6,470	4 d
Philadelphia, PA	1,073 mi	$5,127	$4.78	$4,410 – $5,845	3 d
San Antonio, TX	1,137 mi	$4,350	$3.83	$3,741 – $4,959	3 d
San Diego, CA	1,775 mi	$6,083	$3.43	$5,231 – $6,934	4 d
Dallas, TX	840 mi	$3,446	$4.10	$2,964 – $3,929	2 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 Waterloo, IA to Chicago, IL?

A 48' flatbed from Waterloo, IA to Chicago, IL is estimated at $1,678 all-in in October 2026, or $5.85 a mile over about 287 mi. Quotes typically land between $1,443 and $1,913.

How far is Waterloo, IA from Chicago, IL by truck?

About 287 mi by road, estimated from the straight-line distance. A solo driver covers it in roughly 1 day of transit.

How much of the price is fuel?

About $280 of the $1,678 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $1,398 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Chicago, IL to Waterloo, IA?

The reverse direction is estimated at $1,870, which makes Waterloo, IA to Chicago, IL 10% 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