Heavy Duty Trucking Logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

For-Hire Freight Shipments Rebound in May

A measure of for-hire freight movements in the U.S. increased in May following an April decline, according to a new U.S. Transportation Department report.

by Staff
July 9, 2015
For-Hire Freight Shipments Rebound in May

Freight Transportation Services Index, May 2010 - May 2015. Graphic: U.S. DOT

2 min to read


 

Freight Transportation Services Index, May 2010 - May 2015. Graphic: U.S. DOT

A measure of for-hire freight movements in the U.S. increased in May following an April decline, according to a new U.S. Transportation Department report.

Ad Loading...

The Freight Transportation Services Index rose 0.8% to 122.7 on seasonally-adjusted basis, just 0.5% below the all-time high level of 123.3 in November 2014.

Ad Loading...

The April index was revised upward to 121.7 from 120.4 in last month’s release but remains below the March index. The indexes for December through March were also revised up slightly.

Compared to May 2014 freight shipments are up 1.7%.

The index measures the month-to-month changes in freight shipments by mode of transportation in tons and ton-miles, which are combined into one index and includes the output of for-hire freight from trucking, rail, inland waterways, pipelines and air freight.

According to the report, there was a large increase in trucking during May, reversing an overall April decline of 1.8%. Waterborne also rose along with a smaller increase in pipeline. These increases outweighed declines in air freight, rail carloads, and rail intermodal to produce the rise in the overall freight index in May.

This happened as personal income and employment increased in May while the U.S. Federal Reserve’s industrial production index and manufacturers’ shipments declined. Also, revised data indicates that the nation’s gross domestic product, a measure of the total output of goods and services, declined in the first quarter of 2015, when the growth of the freight TSI slowed.

Ad Loading...

Freight shipments are up 15.4% in the five years from the post-recession level of May 2010 and are up 9.2% in the 10 years from May 2005.

More Fleet Management

Trucker Path, Truckstop.com partnership expands.
Fleet Managementby News/Media ReleaseApril 14, 2026

Trucker Path, Truckstop.com Expand Load Access Partnership

An expanded Trucker Path and Truckstop.com integration brings more freight opportunities into the TruckLoads app while emphasizing security and network quality.

Read More →
DAT TVI March 2026.
Fleet Managementby News/Media ReleaseApril 14, 2026

Truckload Rates Hit Two-Year Highs as Diesel Costs Surge, DAT Says

Strong March freight demand combined with a spike in fuel costs pushed both spot and contract truckload rates to their highest levels in more than two years.

Read More →
Cloud computing concept background with human and robot hands concept
Fleet ManagementApril 14, 2026

The AI Conversation You Need to Have with Your TMS Provider

Everyone’s talking about AI — but is your transportation management system actually built for it?

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Sharp Transportation tractor-trailer
Fleet Managementby News/Media ReleaseApril 14, 2026

Kriska Buys Fellow Canadian Carrier Sharp Transportation Systems

Being part of KTG will allow Sharp to expand and improve its services.

Read More →
Illustration with stacks of money and a shattered car windshield
Fleet Managementby Deborah LockridgeApril 13, 2026

Bill in House Would Raise Minimum Insurance for Motor Carriers to $5 Million

The Fair Compensation for Truck Crash Victims Act would increase insurance requirements for interstate motor carriers by nearly seven times.

Read More →
FTR market report for February 2026.
Fleet Managementby News/Media ReleaseApril 10, 2026

FTR Trucking Conditions Index Hits Four-Year High in February

Strong freight rates push TCI to 10.2, but FTR expects fuel-price volatility to skew March results.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
C.H. Robinson intermodal.

C.H. Robinson Offers Carriers Relief as Diesel Prices Surge

C.H. Robinson is waiving fees on fuel cards and cash advances for April and May, aiming to help carriers offset rising diesel costs tied to geopolitical instability.

Read More →
Fleet Managementby StaffApril 8, 2026

What Trucking Events are Happening in 2026?

Looking for trucking-related conventions, expos, and other events? Heavy Duty Trucking has developed this list of national and larger regional trucking shows and events.

Read More →
Peter Voorhoeve, president, Volvo Trucks North America.
Fleet Managementby Jack RobertsApril 6, 2026

Volvo’s Quiet Confidence Turns into a Full-Throated Bet on the Future

After years of steady, methodical progress, Peter Voorhoeve says the OEM’s latest lineup isn’t just evolutionary. It’s delivering real, measurable gains for fleets right now.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Beyond Trucks Rate Agent TMS.
Fleet Managementby Jack RobertsApril 2, 2026

BeyondTrucks Targets Rate Complexity with New AI RateAgents

BeyondTrucks says its new RateAgents can turn plain-language rate logic into working code, starting with fuel surcharges — a critical but notoriously complex piece of carrier revenue.

Read More →