US truck tonnage continues slide

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ARLINGTON, Va. — The American Trucking Associations (ATA) has reported that US truck tonnage decreased 0.3% in October, after a modest 1.5% increase in September.

October tonnage was down 1.5% compared to the same month last year. Year-to-date tonnage was 2.2% lower than during the same period in 2006. ATA projected that with just two months remaining in 2007, this year could prove to be the largest annual drop of truck tonnage since a 5.2% decline in 2000.

The ATAs truck tonnage index dropped 1.6% in 2006. ATA chief economist, Bob Costello, attributed the decline to an overall weak freight environment with the US housing market largely to blame. Flatbed carriers in particular have been hit hard by the US housing collapse.

Costello said he expects US freight volumes to remain soft until the second half of 2008.

“We anticipate truck freight volumes to be lackluster for the next couple of quarters,” Costello said. “There is nothing on the horizon that points to an acceleration in truck freight.”

ATAs truck tonnage index is based on member carrier surveys.

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