BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – U.S. shippers continued to enjoy positive conditions in October, with an FTR Shippers Conditions Index reading of 6.4.

The index was virtually unchanged from September, FTR reported. All index inputs were positive for shippers except for fuel, which was slightly negative.

“The start of the new decade will dawn with shippers still in a positive position to get their freight moved,” said Todd Tranausky, vice-president of rail and intermodal at FTR. “But this position is forecast to slowly erode over the next few months as capacity utilization starts to firm and shippers start to mitigate the effects of that change.”