FTR

2014 may be a very volatile year requiring increased shipper attention to market conditions. FTR’s Shippers Conditions Index for February, at a reading of -8.8, reflects an earlier than normal tightening of capacity created by the debilitating effects of winter storms in early 2014.

A new report shows business conditions in the trucking industry remain positive, despite a slight downturn, amid warnings of a possible capacity shortage.

FTR’s Trucking Conditions Index reading of 8.82 for January reflects a very positive environment for truckers in early 2014. FTR expects the index to remain high as regulatory drag keeps capacity tight.

ACT Research and FTR have released preliminary expected Class 8 orders that are solid for the month of February.

FTR's forecast for the 2014 U.S. Trailer is 240,000 units, a 2.2% increase over 2013. FTR expects dry vans to show a 2% year-over-year increase while reefer vans will remain flat. Flatbeds, dumps and low beds are all expected to show greater increases as construction and manufacturing improve.

January NA Classes 5-7 net orders are expected at 17,000 units and Class 8 net orders are expected at 34,700 units, when actual data are released mid-month, according to ACT Research.

FTR’s Trucking Conditions Index reading of 7.01 in November, while 20% lower than the previous month, still reflects a positive environment for truckers.

FTR’s Shippers Conditions Index conditions for November, at -6.0, continued to reflect a negative environment for shippers despite improving for the third straight month after hitting a low point in August.

FTR’s Trucking Conditions Index reading of 9.18 in October, while down marginally from the previous month, remains high due to capacity tightness from regulatory drag.

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.