WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Freight Transportation Services Index (TSI) rose 0.8% in September from August, rising after a one-month decline, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) said Thursday.

The Freight TSI is based on the amount of freight carried by the for-hire transportation industry.

It measures the month-to-month changes in for-hire freight shipments by mode of transportation in tons and ton-miles, which are combined into one index.

The bureau said the index rose due to growth in water, rail intermodal, rail carload and air freight despite declines in pipeline and trucking.

From September 2019 to September 2020, the index fell 3.9% compared to a decline of 0.1% from September 2018 to September 2019 and a rise of 7.2% from September 2017 to September 2018.

The level of for-hire shipments in September measured by the Freight TSI (132.6) was 6.4% below the all-time high level of 141.6 in August 2019, the bureau said.

The August index was revised to 131.6 from 131.1 in September’s release, but still remains below the July 2020 level, it added.  

Monthly numbers for January and February as well as June and July were revised down slightly. April was revised up slightly.