Economy

Despite continued weather problems, North American shipment volume and freight spending both soared in February 2014.

UPDATED -- Private sector employment increased by 139,000 jobs from January to February, according to the National Employment Report released Wednesday by the payroll management services provider ADP.

Trucking increased its dominance over other transportation modes in December when it comes to hauling freight between the U.S. and its North American Free Trade Agreement partners, Canada and Mexico.

Following several recent less than encouraging recent economic reports one was issued Wednesday showing things are high stepping in at least one segment.

A measure of how consumers feel about the economy fell this month after increasing in January, according to the data from the private research group The Conference Board.

Like many other parts of the American economy, trucking felt negative effects in January due to extremely cold weather, snow and ice, according to just released figures.

Industrial production in the U.S. decreased 0.3% in January after having risen 0.3% in December, according to numbers from the U.S. Federal Reserve released on Friday. This decline in the total output from the nation’s factories, mines and utilities is the largest drop since May 2009.

Retail sales in the U.S. have fallen for a second straight month according to new U.S. Commerce Department figures.

The amount of freight carried by the for-hire transportation industry fell 1% in December from November, declining after a one-month rise, according to new U.S. Department of Transportation figures, but activity is still very healthy.

North American shipment volumes and freight expenditures both continued the decline that began in December after the economy abruptly reversed direction near the end of last year, according to the latest Cass Freight Index.