The American Trucking Associations’ (ATA) Truck Tonnage Index showed an increase for July – the most current figures – although the industry hasn’t recovered from decreases earlier in the year. The association reported a modest 0.7% increase for July after a 0.4% decline in June. Bob Costello, ATA’s chief economist, points to increases in retail sales and manufacturing as factors in tonnage gains for July.
On a seasonally adjusted basis, the Index shows a gain to 113.4 (2000 = 100) from June’s 112.6. Year-over-year figures for July show a decline of 1.6%. Year-to-date tonnage was down 1.8% year-over-year. That said, the Index has increased three times in four months.
“There is no doubt,” says Costello, "the three month-to-month increases during the last four months are very positive, although I’d feel even better if the Index was growing on a year-over-year basis as well.” Largest declines were in February and March of this year.