The American Trucking Associations' (ATA) advanced seasonally adjuted (SA) For-Hire Tonnage Index rose 1.4 percent in September.
"I continue to be pleasantly surprised on the strength of truck tonnage," ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello said.
The 1.4 percent increase in Seprtember matched August's gain. Compared with September 2012, the SA index is up a healthy 8.4 percent — the largest year-over-year gain since December 2011. Year-to-date, compared with the same period in 2012, the tonnage index is up 5.4 percent.
. "I attribute a part of tonnage's robustness to the sectors of the economy that are growing fastest, like housing construction, auto production, and energy output," Costello explained. "These industries produce heavier than average freight, which leads to faster growth in tonnage versus a load or shipment measure."
"While tonnage is likely running ahead of overall economic growth, perhaps the economy is stronger than many believe. The index has now increased in four of the last five months and the year-over-year growth rate has accelerated. Plus, other measures of truck freight volumes, while increasing at a slower pace than tonnage, have also accelerated in recent months," he said.
