The American Trucking Associations’ For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index inched up 0.1% in June after falling 3.2% in May, the organization said Tuesday.
“While tonnage was little changed during June, there was a definite weakening in volumes during the second quarter as the index contracted a total of 4.1% during April and May,” says ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello. “After five straight year-over-year gains, tonnage has now contracted from year-earlier levels for the last two months. While the U.S. economy remains on solid footing overall, the freight economy isn’t as strong. With that said, the decrease in capacity over the last year probably has fleets feeling a little better than volumes would suggest.”
[RELATED: Tonnage up again; highest sequential gain in four years]
For June, the tonnage index sat at 113.1. The year 2015 represents 100. The non-seasonally adjusted index calculates raw changes in tonnage hauled. It equaled 116.5 in June, which was 2.7% above May’s reading of 113.4.
The index is down 0.1% year over year, which is an improvement from May’s 0.7% drop. During the first half of the year, tonnage was up 1.4% from the same period last year thanks to strength in the first quarter. May’s reading was revised down from what was first reported June 23, the associations say.
