For-Hire Transportation Hits 14-year Peak in December

March 1, 2004
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) released its first-ever monthly Transportation Services Index (TSI) for December 2003. The TSI examines data

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) released its first-ever monthly Transportation Services Index (TSI) for December 2003. The TSI examines data back to 1990 but uses 1996 as its index year (1996 data = 100).

Given the 1996 base of 100, December 2003 freight increased 2.9% on a seasonally adjusted basis to reach 120.2, 1.2% higher than December 2002.

The TSI is a measure of the month-to-month changes in the output of services provided by the for-hire transportation industries, explains DOT. The freight transportation index includes for-hire trucking (including parcel services), rail freight services, inland waterway transportation, pipeline, and airfreight.

DOT cautioned that the Index is still under development and, therefore, is considered experimental. It is being examined for refinements in data sources, methodologies and interpretations.