U.S. for-hire freight demand softens for first time in months
Demand in the for-hire freight sector softened somewhat in June, marking one of the first declines in months, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics.
The bureau’s Freight Transportation Services Index, based on the amount of freight carried, dropped 0.4% from May to June. The index rose 5.9% from June 2020 to June 2021, compared to a decline of 7% from June 2019 to June 2020, and a 1.4% decline from June 2018 to June 2019.
The latest decline reflects drops in rail carloads, rail intermodal, and trucking activity, despite growth involving water, air freight and pipelines, the bureau says.
The index is above any level seen during the Covid-19 pandemic prior to April 2021, but still sits below levels seen in November 2019.
The index measures data from for-hire trucking, rail, inland waterways, pipelines, and air freight. It doesn’t include international or coastal water movements, private trucking, courier services, or the U.S. Postal Service.
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If we got rid of E logs and brought in a minimum for O T R drivers on U S soil of 25,, per hour plus overtime after 10 hours on duty or 8 hours driving and a local driver minimum wage of 21.00us after 18 months experience and overtime the shortage of trucks would disappear when insurance companies agree to insure new drivers with gov assistance on this insurance coats.