Trucking news and briefs for Thursday, Dec. 21, 2023:
ATA's Truck Tonnage Index saw a 1% decline in November after a 0.8% increase in October, continuing the year's up-and-down trend.ATA
The American Trucking Associations’ advanced seasonally adjusted (SA) For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index decreased 1% in November after increasing 0.8% in October. In November, the index equaled 113.7 (2015=100) compared with 114.9 in October.
ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello said November was more of what’s been seen throughout 2023 with an up-and-down market.
“We continued to see a choppy 2023 for truck tonnage into November,” Costello said. “It seems like every time freight improves, it takes a step back the following month. While year-over-year comparisons are improving, unfortunately, the freight market remains in a recession. Looking ahead, with retail inventories falling, we should see less of a headwind for retail freight, but I’m also not expecting a surge in freight levels in the coming months.”
Compared with November 2022, the SA index fell 1.2%, which was the ninth straight year-over-year decrease. In October, the index was down 2.4% from a year earlier.
The not seasonally adjusted index, which represents the change in tonnage actually hauled by the fleets before any seasonal adjustment, equaled 113.2 in November, 5.1% below the October level (119.3). In calculating the index, 100 represents 2015. ATA’s For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index is dominated by contract freight as opposed to spot market freight.
