A preliminary look at the American Trucking Assns.’ (ATA) seasonally adjusted Truck Tonnage Index shows an increase to 153.0 -- or 5.4% -- in April 2003 compared with March 2003.
(1993, as the base year, equals 100)
The unadjusted index increased 4.9% in April this year compared with the same month last year.
In March, truck tonnage grew 0.9% from February and by 5.0% compared with March 2002. The index peaked at 157.2 in December 1999. Tonnage was in a recessionary environment during all of 2000 and 2001.
"Truck tonnage has exhibited the ups and downs associated with an economy that is in a state of flux," said Bob Costello, ATA chief economist and vice president. "However, the underlying trend is one of improvement as tonnage continues to gain ground lost during the recession."
ATA calculates the tonnage index based on surveys from its membership, and has been doing so since the 1970s. The association releases a full report on the index during the first week of every month.
Trucks hauled 8.9 billion tons of freight in 2002, or 67.9% of all tonnage carried by all modes of domestic freight transportation. Motor carriers collected $585 billion dollars or 86.5% of all revenues earned by all modes.