TORONTO — One of Canada’s top freight matching services reports that year-over-year freight volumes have increased 56 percent in February 2010 versus the same period last year.

TransCore’s Canadian Freight Index, based on Loadlink-DAT freight matching data, indicated that truck postings have decreased 10 percent for the same time frame, likely, the company says, due to excess capacity being trimmed or that carriers are filling up with freight from contract shipments.

There has been an overall improvement in truck to load ratio of 42 percent, says TransCore.

The numbers reflect only load postings, the company notes, and do not include carrier truck searches, which have also seen substantial increases.

Meanwhile, cross-border loads posted have gone up by 63 percent in February 2010 over the same time last year, another possible sign of market improvement.

"Trucking has seen one of the most challenging periods in the last year, but we are seeing substantial increases in load posting volumes and carrier searches," says Claudia Milicevic, general manager of TransCore’s Link Logistics in Toronto.