ATA Truck Tonnage Index surges 4.1%

The American Trucking Associations' advanced seasonally adjusted For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index jumped 4.1 percent in December 2007, after rising 0.9 percent in November. The latest increase was the largest month-to-month gain since a 6.2 percent jump in December 2006. The not seasonally adjusted index fell 8.2 percent from November to 102.7.

On a seasonally adjusted basis, the index jumped to 116.7 (2000 = 100) in December, its highest level since January 2006. Tonnage was also up 1.4 percent from a year earlier, marking the first sequential year-over-year increases since May and June 2006. Despite these increases, the tonnage index declined 1.4 percent in 2007 after a 1.7 percent drop in 2006.

ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello said the final two months of the year were surprisingly good given the current economic environment, the financial crisis, credit crunch, and weak housing market.