ARLINGTON, VA. — After rising 0.9 percent in March, the American Trucking Associations’ (ATA) advanced seasonally adjusted (SA) For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index fell 0.2 percent in April, the associations reported today.

Year-over-year, the SA index climbed 4.3 percent, the second largest year-over-year gain following January’s 4.7 percent jump. Year-to-date, tonnage was up 4 percent.

“The slight drop in tonnage during April fit with trends from other industries that drive a significant amount of truck freight, such as manufacturing and housing,” said ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello. He added that factory output slipped 0.4 percent while housing starts plunged 16.5 percent in April when compared with March.

“After rising significantly late last year and in January of this year, truck tonnage has been bouncing around a narrow, but elevated band over the last three months,” explained Costello. “It is also worth noting that the year-over-year comparisons are much better than expected just a few months ago and I’m hearing good comments about freight so far in May.”