TransCore’s Canadian Freight Index showed a 26% increase in year-over-year spot market load levels in October. This October also had the second highest freight volume compared to the same month over the last five years. However, the index also recorded a 23-point dip in spot freight availability compared to September, the third consecutive monthly decline. Load volume levels continue to stay above 200 index points as they have for eight straight months. In September, there was a 30% increase in spot market freight volume compared to September 2009. Like August, September 2010 enjoyed the highest volume of freight availability for the month in comparison to the same month over the last five years. As a result, third quarter loads were up 44% over the third quarter of 2009.

The Canadian-based Loadlink freight-matching database constitutes the largest Canadian network of carriers, owner/operators, freight brokers and intermediaries and has been available to Canadian subscribers since its inception in 1990. More than 13 million full loads, LTL (less-than-truckload) shipments and trucks are posted to the Loadlink network annually. As a result of this high volume, TransCore believes its Canadian Freight Index to be representative of the ups and downs in spot market freight movement and provides a historical account of the domestic and cross-border spot market freight movement. The first four columns in the chart include monthly index values for years 2006 through 2009. The fifth indicates index values for current year 2010. The last column indicates the percentage change from 2009 to 2010. For the purpose of establishing a baseline for the index, January 2002 (index value of 100) has been used.