Tonnage Up for Fourth Straight Month

ARLINGTON, VA. — February marked the fourth straight month of increases for the American Trucking Associations’ (ATA) seasonally adjusted (SA) For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index. That hasn’t happened since 2011, ATA noted.

The index rose a slight 0.6 percent in February after January’s 1 percent gain. Adding up the last four months, tonnage has increased for a total of 7.7 percent.

“Fitting with several other key economic indicators, truck tonnage is up earlier than we anticipated this year,” ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello said. “While I think this is a good sign for the industry and the economy, I’m still concerned that freight tonnage will slow in the months ahead as the federal government sequester continues and households finish spending their tax returns. A little longer term, I think the economy and the industry are poised for a more robust recovery.”

Compared with February 2012, the SA index was up a solid 4.2 percent, just below January’s 4.6 percent year-over-year gain, ATA said in a statement. Year-to-date, compared with the same period in 2012, the tonnage index is up 4.4 percent. In 2012, tonnage increased 2.3 percent from 2011.