Freight Shipping in Chicago, IL
Dry van, reefer and flatbed loads from Chicago and the rest of Cook County to anywhere in the U.S., with carriers matched to the freight and vetted before every dispatch.
Request a Freight Quote
Tell us what moves, where and how often. A logistics specialist replies with pricing and capacity, not a form letter.
Every carrier is vetted for operating authority and insurance, and we check the certificate before every dispatch, not once a year. USDOT 3411782 · MC 1100274
At a glance
Shipping in Chicago, IL at a glance
The facts that decide how a load moves here. Regulatory figures link to the official page they come from.
- I-90
- I-94
- I-55
- I-57
- I-290
- I-294
- intermodal and rail freight
- manufacturing
- food and beverage processing
- e-commerce and retail distribution
- Port of Chicago (Illinois International Port District)
- Port of Metropolitan St. Louis
- Port of Peoria
How freight moves through Chicago
Chicago is the main freight rail hub of North America, where the major U.S. railroads interchange cargo, and it is also a leading trucking and air cargo center where I-90, I-94, I-55 and I-57 meet. Freight trucks serve Chicago on I-90, I-94, I-55, I-57 and I-290. Most of what ships from here comes from intermodal and rail freight, manufacturing, food and beverage processing and e-commerce and retail distribution.
Rules of the road
What shapes a move in Illinois
- Seasonal conditions
Some county highway departments, such as Winnebago County in northern Illinois, post seasonal weight limits on county roads during the late-winter and spring thaw, typically for four to six weeks.
IDOT permit moves may not be made when the highway is covered with snow or ice, when visibility is unduly impaired by rain, snow or fog, or whenever the Illinois State Police consider travel unsafe.
Rules change. The specialist on your move checks the current ones for your exact route before anything is booked.
Distances
Freight Shipping from Chicago to nearby cities
Straight-line distances. The road is longer, and your specialist confirms the real route.
Nearby cities
Gary, IN
about 25 miles
Joliet, IL
about 35 miles
Aurora, IL
about 35 miles
Kenosha, WI
about 50 miles
Racine, WI
about 60 miles
South Bend, IN
about 70 miles
Major metros
Mexico
Shipping from Chicago to Mexico
Loads from Chicago bound for Mexico are coordinated through the Texas crossings at Laredo and Pharr. The nearer one, Laredo, is about 1200 miles from Chicago in a straight line, and customs brokers on both sides of the border handle the paperwork.
Questions about shipping in Chicago, IL
What freight do you move from Chicago?
What the area produces: intermodal and rail freight, manufacturing, food and beverage processing and e-commerce and retail distribution, in dry vans, reefers or flatbeds, full or partial.
Can you pick up at my dock in Chicago by appointment?
Yes. Give us the appointment window, the reference number and your dock rules; the assigned carrier works to that appointment.
Which big markets are closest to Chicago?
Detroit, MI (about 240 miles), Minneapolis, MN (about 350 miles) and Nashville, TN (about 400 miles), in a straight line. Full and partial loads to those markets, and to any other, are coordinated with vetted carriers.
How fast do you reply to a quote request?
In under 10 minutes during business hours, by text or phone for a move inside the U.S., and on WhatsApp for one going to Mexico.
Get a Free, No-Obligation Quote Today
Our logistics specialists are standing by. We reply in under 10 minutes.
Every carrier is vetted for operating authority and insurance, and we check the certificate before every dispatch, not once a year. USDOT 3411782 · MC 1100274