For-Hire Freight Shipments Fall for Second Straight Month
A new U.S. Transportation Department report shows the total amount of for-hire freight moved in the country fell 0.6% in September from the month before, the second consecutive monthly drop.

Freight Transportation Services Index, September 2011 - September 2016. Graphic: U.S. DOT

A new U.S. Transportation Department report shows the total amount of for-hire freight moved in the country fell 0.6% in September from the month before, the second consecutive monthly drop.
The department’s Freight Transportation Services Index (TSI), which consists of data from for-hire trucking, rail, inland waterways, pipelines and air freight, registered 121.5, 2.6% below the all-time high level of 124.7 in July 2016. These two months of decreases followed four consecutive monthly gains and puts the measure at its lowest level since March.
The August index was revised down slightly to 122.2 from 122.3 in last month’s release while the July reading was revised up slightly to 124.7 from 124.5. When September is compared to the same time a year earlier the reading is down 0.6%
The Freight TSI measures the month-to-month changes in freight shipments by mode of transportation in tons and ton-miles, which are combined into one index.
The September Freight TSI fell due to declines in trucking, pipeline and rail intermodal, while air freight, water, and rail carloads rose, according to the department, which added this took place as the economy was relatively stable.
The 0.7% third quarter decrease matched slow growth in industrial production, which remained unchanged in the third quarter, while gross domestic product growth jumped up to 2.9% in the third quarter, according to the department. GDP growth in the second and third quarters outpaced the 1.5% growth of TSI over those two quarters, after two earlier quarters when GDP grew less than 1% and TSI declined.
Also, the third quarter decrease of 0.7% followed an increase of 2.3% in the previous quarter, for a net increase of 1.5% over the six months. Since the beginning of 2015 the Freight TSI has declined in five out of seven quarters.
The index remains high compared to earlier years, rising 28.2% since the low of 94.7 in April 2009. Freight shipments are up 9.1% in the five years from the post-recession level of September 2011 and are up 7.6% in the 10 years from September 2006.
More Fleet Management

What Geotab's New AI Connector Means for Fleets
Fleets can now ask their usual AI assistants questions about maintenance, safety, fuel use, and vehicle performance, using their live Geotab data, and take action on the answers without leaving their preferred AI tool.
Read More →
New C.H. Robinson Tool Opens Door to More Predictable Freight
BidBoardX lets carriers search, bid on, and secure committed freight opportunities through a single digital marketplace.
Read More →
New York City's Microhub Project is Delivering Results
Trucking, last-mile delivery companies, and environmental advocates like what they are seeing so far with New York's microhub program.
Read More →
Why Truck Detention Keeps Costing Fleets Time and Money
A 2024 ATRI study found detention affects nearly 40% of truckload stops and costs the industry more than $15 billion annually. Despite the toll on drivers, fleets, and supply chains, the problem remains stubbornly persistent.
Read More →
Time is Running Out to Apply for Exclusive HDT Event
Heavy Duty Trucking Exchange brings fleet managers and suppliers together for the deeper conversations that lead to ideas, partnerships, and solutions. Time is running out to apply for the September event.
Read More →
Amazon Launches Less-Than-Truckload Freight Offering for All Businesses
This launch is the latest addition to Amazon Supply Chain Services, a portfolio of supply chain capabilities from Amazon, including freight, distribution, fulfillment, and parcel shipping.
Read More →
Import Cargo Volume to See Year-Over-Year Gain Again in June, Then Remain Below 2025 Levels Into Fall
After July, the report predicts a weakening in import volume as consumer uncertainty remains high and the impact of increasing inflation takes its toll.
Read More →
AUCTION OF EQUITY INTEREST IN HEAVY HAUL TRUCKING COMPANY!!
Mark your calendar: June 30, 2026 (10:00 a.m. PDT). A 37.5% ownership interest in MagnaTrans, LLC, a California limited liability company doing business as Magna Transportation Group, will be sold in an in-person and online auction to the highest bidder or bidders under Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code. The Rancho Cucamonga-based heavy haul and over-dimensional trucking company operates across California, Oregon, and Arizona.
Read More →
Volvo Trucks Adds Unattended Over-the-Air Software Update Capabilities
The latest evolution of Volvo’s over-the-air update technology allows software updates to run while trucks are parked, helping fleets keep vehicles current without disrupting operations.
Read More →How Waste Connections is Using Data, Telematics, and AI
How do you manage and maintain more than 18,000 connected trucks? Data. Lots of it.
Read More →

