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.

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.
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.
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.
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

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 →

