FTR’s Trucking Conditions Index for November, as reported in the January 2013 Trucking Update, rose almost two full points to a reading of 9.7.
According to FTR, the gain was expected as conditions impacting trucking will continue to improve in anticipation of a tightened market in 2013. The primary driver will be increased utilization, with an additional one-time hit from Sandy rebuilding efforts, FTR says.
“We were forecasting an improved environment for trucking even before the agreement just reached to avoid the ‘fiscal cliff.’ There are still political hurdles to navigate in early 2013, but the agreement takes some of the uncertainty out of business plans,” says Jonathan Starks, director of transportation analysis for FTR. “We’ll keep monitoring the economy closely to look for any renewed softness in demand, but for now we believe capacity will tighten during 2013.”
