ARLINGTON, VA. — The American Trucking Associations (ATA) said they were surprised at the turnover rate dipping in the fourth quarter of 2012.

The ATA’s Trucking Activity Report showed a drop from an annualized rate of 104 percent in Q3 to 90 percent — its lowest point since Q1 of the same year. For small fleets, the turnover rate sunk to 76 percent from Q3’s 94 percent.

That drop was attributed to a weakened economy and overall freight volumes, ATA said.

Turnover for 2012 averaged 98 percent, “the highest since 2007 when the churn rate averaged 117 percent,” ATA noted in the report. Small fleet turnover averaged 82 percent in 2012, also the highest since 2007.

“As freight volumes slid a bit at the end of 2012, we saw turnover follow suit,” ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello said. “However, this is just a respite from the long-term trend and driver shortage storm that’s coming when the freight economy accelerates; and even then, these relaxed levels are still quite high relative to recent years.”

The industry is still short between 20,000 and 25,000 drivers in the truckload sector, Costello said. A healthier economy will grow that number, he added.

“Once we see steadier, more robust economic growth, we could see an industry that is short by as many as 239,000 drivers by 2022,” Costello said. “Hard as it may to believe, we may someday soon look back on turnover rates of just 90 percent as the good old days as increased demand, an aging workforce and regulatory constraints combine to push the shortage higher.”