Refrigeratedtransporter 3140 Ata Tonnage Feb 2018

February tonnage index’s dip can’t diminish healthy year-over-year results

March 22, 2018
Discover why freight remains robust despite a decline in the February For-Hire Truck Index.

American Trucking Associations’ advanced seasonally adjusted (SA) For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index declined 2.6% in February 2018 after rising 1.6% in January. In February, the index equaled 109.2 (2015=100), down from 112.1 in January.

ATA revised the January increase from the originally reported 2.0% to 1.6%.

Compared with February 2017, the SA index jumped 5.7%, which was below January’s 8.4% year-over-year gain, but still well above 2017’s annual increase. For all of 2017, the index increased 3.8% over 2016. Year-to-date, compared with the same two months in 2017, tonnage is up 7.1%.

The not seasonally adjusted index, which represents the change in tonnage actually hauled by the fleets before any seasonal adjustment, equaled 99.7 in February, which was 6.7% below the previous month (106.8).

“Despite a softer February than January, freight remains robust as exhibited in the year-over-year increase,” said Bob Costello, ATA chief economist. “The drivers of truck freight—personal consumption, factory output and construction—are good, plus the inventory cycle is in favor of motor carriers, so I expect freight tonnage to grow at a decent pace in the months ahead.”

Trucking serves as a barometer of the US economy, representing 70.6% of tonnage carried by all modes of domestic freight transportation, including manufactured and retail goods. Trucks hauled nearly 10.5 billion tons of freight in 2016. Motor carriers collected $676.2 billion, or 79.8% of total revenue earned by all transport modes.

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of FleetOwner, create an account today!

Sponsored Recommendations

Downtime is expensive. This guide shows you how to keep your eet running, reduce repair surprises, and protect your margins—because when your trucks aren’t moving, you’re not...
Learn how fast oil changes can optimize vehicle downtime for fleet owners. Improve revenue and employee productivity while ensuring customer satisfaction with efficient maintenance...
Unlock proven strategies to streamline operations, lead your team, and keep your eet moving forward – all in one guide.
Commercial fleets bear a heavy burden from economic uncertainty, operational costs, and litigation risks. In-cabin video technology offers opportunities to reduce fleet expenses...