ATA tonnage index dipped in October

ARLINGTON, Va. — The American Trucking Associations’ advance seasonally adjusted For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index decreased 0.2 percent in October, following a 0.3 percent contraction in September.

The not seasonally adjusted index, which represents the change in tonnage actually hauled by the fleets before any seasonal adjustment, equalled 109.6 in October, up 1.6 percent from September.

Compared with October 2008, tonnage fell 5.2 percent, which was the best year-over-year showing since November 2008. In September, the index was down 7.3 percent from a year earlier.

ATA chief economist Bob Costello said that the latest reading reflects an economic recovery that is still trying to gain balance, although it is on more solid ground than a year ago.

“Repeating what I said last month, the trucking industry should not be alarmed by the small decreases in September and October,” Costello stated. “The economy is behaving as expected, with starts and stops. This is being reflected in truck tonnage, as well as most economic indicators.”
 


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