State cost guide · IL
Running in Illinois.
Chicago is the rail and freight hub of the Midwest, and the state around it is the most toll- and time-expensive place to run in the region.
Diesel & fuel tax
Illinois pickups price from the EIA Midwest weekly diesel average in our tools, dated on the report.
Diesel is taxed per gallon by the state, and as an interstate carrier you settle it through your quarterly IFTA return rather than at the pump alone. Rates are republished every quarter, so use the current official IFTA rate table for the quarter you are filing instead of any figure quoted on a website.
Diesel taxation in Illinois includes state sales taxes on fuel in addition to the excise component, so pump prices can sit above neighbouring Midwest states. Buy accordingly and let the IFTA return sort out the jurisdictional side.
Tolls
The Illinois Tollway system around Chicago is extensive and charges commercial vehicles by class, with higher overnight rates on some facilities.
Toll cost and Chicago congestion together can turn a decent rate into a break-even day. Both belong in the decision before you accept.
Operating cost
Detention and dock waiting at Chicago-area warehouses is a real and common cost. Get the terms on the confirmation.
Winter running affects MPG materially; a summer fuel-economy number will understate a January load's fuel cost.
Common lanes
- Chicago → AtlantaLong southbound with reliable reload options at the far end.
- Chicago → DallasHigh-volume lane; the posted rate is rarely the final rate.
- Joliet → ColumbusIntermodal-adjacent shorter run; tolls matter on the outbound leg.
- Chicago → NashvilleMid-distance southbound often used to reposition out of the Midwest.
EIA region used for Illinois pickups: Midwest (PADD 2). Fuel prices in our tools are the EIA weekly on-highway diesel average at the moment you score a load, with the week printed on the report; anything you type yourself overrides it. Fuel-tax rates and toll schedules change — confirm the current quarter's official figures before relying on them.
Want the number for a specific load? X-Ray it free or build your own cost per mile with the free calculator.