FTR

Even though FTR's Shippers Conditions Index improved marginally in September along with a small improvement in the environment affecting shippers it is not expected to hold.

A monthly analysis of seasonality trends is the latest feature to be added to FTR's Intermodal Update publication. This new feature will provide a detailed view each month of the how current performance and seasonal patterns compare to those seen over the past ten years.

FTR's Trucking Conditions Index reading of 9.97 in September continues to show a positive environment for trucking. The index is expected to peak in October after which the full impact of the newly enacted hours-of-service rules negatively affect trucking.

FTR's Trucking Conditions Index reading of 9.52 in August is a full point improvement from the July reading.

Class 8 orders rose compared to August and a year ago. When actual data is available mid-month, Class 8 orders are expected at 20,100 units.

FTR's Shippers Conditions Index for July, with a reading of -8.3, was basically unchanged from the previous month reflecting relatively modest freight volume growth combined with some capacity constraints caused by new regulations.

FTR's Trucking Conditions Index reading of 8.41 in July reflects a 30% improvement over the previous month’s reading. The jump reflects the indexes forward look at an expected pricing uptick for truckers this fall as capacity tightens with regulatory effects and decent freight demand.

FTR Associates’ Shippers Conditions Index for June fell only marginally from the previous month to a current reading of -8.1. The minimal change reflects a relatively weak freight environment offsetting increased capacity constraints in advance of the hours-of-service rule implementation.

As compared to the previous month’s revised index, June improved more than 30%. FTR's Trucking Conditions Index for June at 6.46 reflects a significantly revised index which now includes a factor for truckload pricing and an update to historical data.

FTR Associates has released preliminary data showing July Class 8 truck net orders at 17,307 the lowest level since September 2012. July orders were down 7% from June; however they were 38% better than the same month a year ago.

FTR Associates’ Shippers Conditions Index for May was basically unchanged from the level of the last few months at a -7.5 reading.

FTR Associates has released preliminary data showing June Class 8 truck net orders at 18,606, 18% less than May and the first month orders have been below 20,000 since November 2012.

Modest rate increases are expected to resume as freight enjoys reasonable volume growth alongside the reduced trucking productivity that is the result of increased regulations.

To sum up the general economic outlook for the upcoming months in one sentence: More of the same for 2013 and then better in 2014. That is how FTR Associates Senior Consultant Bill Witte predicted the overall economy will be in the near future at the recent State of Freight Summit held by FTR.

FTR's Trucking Conditions Index for March as reported in the May 2013 Trucking Update reflected improvement in an already favorable environment for trucking with an additional increase to a reading of 13.12.

FTR Associates’ Shippers Conditions Index for February fell over two points following a similar decline in January. The current reading of -9.5 reflects an expectation for increasingly difficult conditions for shippers as 2013 progresses, which is good news for trucking companies.

FTR’s Trucking Conditions Index for February reflected an increasingly improving outlook for trucking with another month-over-month increase of 2+ points to a reading of 12.9.