ARLINGTON, VA – The amount of for-hire truck tonnage moved in the U.S. jumped significantly last month, hitting its second highest level on record, according to newly released figures.

The American Trucking Associations’ (ATA) advanced seasonally adjusted For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index increased 2.8 percent in July, following a revised drop of 0.4 percent during June.

The reading of 135 is just shy of the all-time high of 135.8 hit this past January.

Compared with July 2014, the index increased 3.7 percent, far above the 1.9 percent gain in June.

Year-to-date through July, compared with the same period last year, tonnage isup 3.4 percent.

The not seasonally adjusted index, which represents the change in tonnage actually hauled by the fleets before any seasonal adjustment, equaled 137.3 in July, which was 0.8 percent below the previous month’s reading of 138.4.

“After several soft months starting in February, tonnage really snapped back in July,” said ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello. “July was the single best monthly gain since November 2013.”

He said a few factors added to July’s strength, including better retail sales, factory output, and housing starts.

“However, I remain concerned in the near term about the high level of inventories throughout the supply chain. This could have a negative impact on truck freight volumes over the next few months,” Costello said

Trucking serves as a barometer of the U.S. economy, representing nearly 69 percent of tonnage carried by all modes of domestic freight transportation, including manufactured and retail goods, according to ATA.

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