MENU
SEARCHA measure of the amount of freight carried by the nation’s for hire transportation industry increased 0.9% in July following a one-month decline.
Five years: Freight Transportation Services Index, July 2009 - July 2014. Credit: U.S. DOT
A measure of the amount of freight carried by the nation’s for hire transportation industry increased 0.9% in July following a one-month decline.
The U.S. Transportation Department’s Freight Transportation Services Index rose to 119.6, 26.5% above the April 2009 low during the most recent recession and just 0.5% below the all-time high level of 120.3 in May of this year. TSI records begin in 2000.
The June index was revised down to 118.6 from 119.1 in last month’s release. The May index, the all-time high, was revised up slightly while the January through April indexes were revised down slightly.
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 index measures the output of the for-hire freight transportation industry and consists of data from for-hire trucking, rail, inland waterways, pipelines and air freight.
All freight modes but two grew in July after declines in June with water and pipelines continuing to fall, according to the U.S. DOT. “During the month, several other indicators of related parts of the economy that often impact transportation increased,” the department said in a release. “Industrial production, led by manufacturing and construction, increased. Both shipments and inventories of manufactured goods increased. Overall employment grew, as did transportation employment.”
Year to date freight shipments measured by the index were up 0.4% in July compared to the end of 2013 while freight shipments are up 21.9% in the five years from the post-recession level of July 2009 and are up 7.7% in the 10 years from July 2004.
Compared to July 2013 July freight shipments are up 3.2%.
How a former commercial vehicle enforcement officer turned director of safety at K&B Transportation is embracing real-world safety technology.
Read More →
When the unexpected happens, how you react to, and deal with operational blind spots is critical. Here’s how to keep you recovery on track, when nothing is normal.
Read More →
As fleets adopt artificial intelligence for routing, maintenance, and load matching, new security risks are emerging. Learn where the vulnerabilities are and how to put the right controls in place.
Read More →
The long-awaited registration system promises a single portal — and tighter fraud controls.
Read More →
CargoNet reports fewer supply chain crime events to start 2026. But losses hold steady as organized crime shifts tactics toward impersonation schemes and high-value goods.
Read More →
Heavy Duty Trucking is searching for forward-looking leaders at trucking fleets as nominations for HDT’s Truck Fleet Innovators 2026. Deadline is May 15.
Read More →
Cargo theft rings plant operatives as drivers inside legitimate, fully vetted carriers, then execute coordinated thefts that look like a traditional straight theft from the outside.
Read More →
A modest sequential increase capped the strongest quarterly performance in years, signaling continued freight momentum in early 2026.
Read More →
More than 300 carriers across 26 states have been sent to collections as the Ohio Turnpike cracks down on toll evasion and delinquent payments.
Read More →
The American Transportation Research Institute will examine driver coaching, regulatory impacts — including the "Beyond Compliance" concept —and weather disruptions that shape trucking operations.
Read More →
