BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Conditions in the U.S. continued to favor shippers in September.

FTR’s Shippers Conditions Index remained in positive territory at a 6.4 reading. While fuel pricing rose, freight volumes, capacity utilization and logistics cost factors all favored shippers.

FTR projects the index to trend towards neutral through 2020, as freight demand softens and capacity utilization firms.

“Shippers’ place in the freight market remains solidly positive as the year moves into its final quarter,” said Todd Tranausky, vice-president, rail and intermodal with FTR. “We expect shippers’ position in the marketplace to slowly deteriorate in 2020 as capacity tightens and freight demand recovers.”