American Trucking Associations’ seasonally adjusted truck tonnage index rose 2.3% on a year-over-year basis last month, capping a second quarter when freight levels improved from earlier in 2014, the federation reported.
The index, on a sequential basis, was down 0.8% in June from May and stands at 128.6.
“Despite the small reprieve in June, the second quarter was much better than the first quarter,” ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello said in a statement.
ATA reported that second-quarter tonnage rose 3.2% over 2013, 1 percentage point faster than the first quarter.
The monthly tonnage record was set in November at 131.0. The pace of tonnage growth has slipped since then, and ATA said the 2.3% year-over-year improvement was the second-smallest increase this year, topping only January.
ATA’s statement also noted a seeming anomaly.
“June was one of those months where the data doesn’t quite match up with the anecdotal reports from fleets,” Costello said. “We had heard the freight volumes were good.”
The May tonnage index was revised downward from 129.7, when reported on an advanced basis, to 129.6.
By Transport Topics 7/28/14