Manufacturing, freight growth outpaces services: FTR

NASHVILLE, Ind. — FTR’s Trucking Conditions Index shows a increasingly healthy environment for trucking as strong manufacturing increases have generated truck freight above GDP.

Transportation forecaster FTR says its August reading is the sixth in a row that indicates trucking to be positive territory. Expected freight growth of 4 percent, limited driver capacity along with fleet downsizing will keep the index in positive territory through 2011, says FTR.

"Conditions for trucking are positive in spite of sluggish growth in the overall economy because manufacturing, which generates freight, is growing much more rapidly than services," commented Eric Starks, President of FTR.

"The freight growth along with capacity shortages we have been forecasting bodes well for trucking companies over the next couple of years at a minimum."

The Trucking Update, which in this issue also addresses the worsening driver shortage in a high unemployment environment, is published monthly is part of FTR’s Freight Focus Series and reports data that directly impacts the activity and profitability of truck fleets.