In The News

ATA: Nov. tonnage rose slightly; ‘don’t be fooled’

ARLINGTON, Va. — The American Trucking Associations’ advanced seasonally adjusted For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index increased 1.7 percent in November, marking the first month-to-month improvement since June 2008. The index contracted a total of 6.3 percent from June through October. In November, the seasonally adjusted tonnage index equaled 110.7 (2000 = 100).  In October, the index was at the lowest level in five years, ATA reported.

Despite the increase in the seasonally adjusted measure, the freight outlook remains bleak, according to ATA. Specifically, the not seasonally adjusted index, which measures the change in actual tonnage volumes reported by the fleets before any seasonal adjustments, fell 15.4 percent to 101.3 in November. 

The seasonally adjusted index declined 1.8 percent compared with November 2007, which was the second straight year-over-year decrease. 

ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello cautioned against misinterpreting the slight increase in freight tonnage as indicative of the beginnings of an economic turnaround. Freight volumes remain weak, he said.

“Don’t let November’s increase in the seasonally adjusted index fool you,” said Costello.  “Freight volumes were down substantially before any seasonality is taken out of the data,” Costello added.  Tonnage was also off from year-over levels showing the weakness in freight. Costello said he expects freight to further weaken as the economy contracts through the first half of 2009.  

Trucking serves as a barometer of the U.S. economy, representing nearly 70 percent of tonnage carried by all modes of domestic freight transportation, including manufactured and retail goods, ATA noted.

Trucks hauled 10.7 billion tons of freight in 2006. Motor carriers collected $645.6 billion, or 83.8 percent of total revenue earned by all transport modes.

ATA calculates the tonnage index based on surveys from its membership and has been doing so since the 1970s.

Kevin Jones of The Trucker staff can be reached for comment at [email protected].