U.S. truck freight activity edged up again in March, with the American Trucking Associations’ advanced seasonally adjusted For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index rising 0.3% after a sharp 2.9% gain in February.

The index reached 117.0 in March, up from 116.6 the prior month, continuing a steady upward trend after a relatively flat 2025.

ATA also revised February’s gain slightly higher than originally reported.

Strongest Year-Over-Year Gain Since 2022

While the month-to-month increase was modest, March delivered a more notable milestone on an annual basis.

The index rose 3% compared to March 2025. That’s the largest year-over-year increase since October 2022, ATA noted.

The numbers point to a broader, positive, trend, according to ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello.

“While March wasn’t particularly strong sequentially, it was the largest year-over-year increase since October 2022,” Costello said. “The first quarter of 2026 was also the best performance since the third quarter of 2017 when considering both sequential and year-over-year results.”

For the first quarter overall, tonnage increased 2.1% compared to the same period last year.

Quarter Points to Freight Recovery Momentum

The first-quarter performance marks a notable turnaround after a stagnant 2025, when the tonnage index was essentially flat compared to 2024 averages. The recent gains suggest freight demand is strengthening, particularly in contract freight markets that dominate the index.

ATA’s not seasonally adjusted index, which reflects raw freight volumes, jumped to 120.1 in March -- 12% higher than February’s 107.3 reading -- highlighting typical seasonal freight patterns alongside underlying demand improvement.

Trucking Remains Core Economic Indicator

Trucking continues to serve as a key barometer of U.S. economic activity, accounting for 72.7% of all domestic freight tonnage. In 2024, trucks moved 11.27 billion tons of freight and generated $906 billion in revenue, representing 76.9% of total transportation sector earnings.

The ATA’s tonnage index, based largely on contract freight and compiled from member surveys, has tracked industry activity since the 1970s.

March’s figures are preliminary and subject to revision in the final report released early next month.