Today at 2 p.m. live on CNBC's "Street Signs" program with Erin Burnett, Bob Costello, chief economist at the American Trucking Associations, will discuss the economic outlook of the trucking industry
and the expected driver shortages in the industry as freight levels pick back up.

The ATA's advance seasonally adjusted For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index was up 3.1 percent in January, following a revised 1.3 percent increase in December 2009. Compared with January 2009, seasonally adjusted tonnage gained 5.7 percent, the best year-over-year reading since January 2005 and the second consecutive boost.

Costello manages ATA's collection, analysis and dissemination of trucking economic information. This includes several monthly trucking economic indicators, motor carrier financial and operating data, an annual freight transportation forecast, driver wage studies, weekly diesel fuel price and economic reports, and a yearly trucking almanac. Costello also conducts economic analyses of proposed regulations and legislation affecting the trucking industry.