Skip to content

DOT Freight Index: Shipments Up 2.6% May to June

The amount of freight carried by the for-hire transportation industry rose 2.6% in June from May, after two monthly declines, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics’ Freight Transportation Services Index.

BTS, a part of the DOT’s Research and Innovative Technology Administration, reported that freight shipments in June measured by the Freight TSI rose to their second highest level since August 2008, exceeded only by those in March. The 2.6% May-to-June increase was the biggest month-to-month rise since November 2009.

The Freight TSI measures the month-to-month changes in freight shipments in ton-miles, which are then combined into one index. The index measures the output of the for-hire freight transportation industry and consists of data from for-hire trucking, rail, inland waterways, pipelines and air freight.

Freight shipments have increased in 18 of the last 26 months rising 1.3% in the past six months. Shipments rose 14.5% over the last 26 months, starting in May 2009 but after declining 15.5% in the previous 15 months shipment remain below the February 2008 level.

In June 2011, freight shipments returned to about the same level as August 2008, which was the start of six straight months of decline.

For the first six months of 2011, freight shipments measured by the index were up 1.3%.

Freight shipments are down 3.2% in the five years from June 2006, but up 9.9% in the 10 years from June 2001 despite recent declines.

For more information: www.bts.gov

Printer Friendly Version

Email This Story

RSS
Bookmark and Share

Industry : Related News

8/11/2011 – Pulse of Commerce Index Down 0.2% in July

The Ceridian-UCLA Pulse of Commerce Index dipped 0.2% in July, offsetting some of the relatively strong 1% gain posted in June….
More

8/11/2011 – DOT Freight Index: Shipments Up 2.6% May to June

The amount of freight carried by the for-hire transportation industry rose 2.6% in June from May, after two monthly declines, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics’ Freight Transportation Services Index….
More

8/10/2011 – Teamster Carhual Members Ratify National, 51-month Agreement

Teamster carhaulers have ratified a new National Master Automobile Transporters Agreement, securing wage increases for about 4,500 workers….
More

8/9/2011 – TransCore Releases Second Produce Report Tracking Reefer Activity

TransCore released its second in a series of free monthly DAT Produce Reports. Rates this past month rose on the whole….
More

8/5/2011 – APRA Calls on India to Accept Trade in Reman Parts

APRA President, Bill Gager, is calling on the Indian Government to accept trade in remanufactured products on an equal basis with new manufactured products….
More

8/4/2011 – FTR’s Trucking Conditions Index Remains in Modestly Positive Territory

FTR’s June Trucking Conditions Index, as reported in the August Trucking Update, rose slightly to a reading of 7.7 from 7.3 in May….
More

8/3/2011 – FreightWatch: Cargo Thefts Declined Slightly in 2011’s First Half

FreightWatch recorded 433 cargo theft incidents in the first half of 2011, a 6.8% decline from the same time period in 2010….
More

7/29/2011 – Carriers Looking at Acquisitions

“Carriers are looking for partners to ‘tango’ with as volume and rate expectations are very positive.”

That’s the comment of Richard Mikes, partner at Transport Capital Partners, about what the group’s most recent Business Expectations Survey says about attitudes toward buying or selling trucking companies….
More

7/27/2011 – Commercial Trailers: Production Strength Continues, Orders Fall for Third Straight Month

June saw the third consecutive monthly decline in total U.S commercial trailer net orders, with the industry posting a 26% decline from May, according to ACT Research….
More

7/27/2011 – ATA Tonnage Index Jumped 2.8% in June

The American Trucking Associations’ advance seasonally adjusted For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index increased 2.8% in June after decreasing a revised 2% in May 2011….
More

7/21/2011 – Trimble to Acquire PeopleNet

Trimble Navigation is buying privately held PeopleNet, a provider of integrated onboard computing and mobile communications systems for fleets….
More

7/20/2011 – McLeod Software, Tuskegee University to Analyze Lane Competition Profitability

McLeod Software and The Brimmer College of Business and Information Science at Tuskegee University are conducting a joint research project to analyze how costs and competition impact the overall pricing process for motor carriers….
More

7/20/2011 – Truck Order Backlog Eases in June, Breaking Nine-Month Growth Streak

After increasing for nine consecutive months, the North American Class 8 order backlog dropped less than 1% during June….
More

7/19/2011 – Reefer Operators Say They Deserve ‘Premium Rate for Premium Services’

Operators of temperature-controlled equipment deliver premium service and should be getting premium rates from shippers, but in many cases aren’t. This is indicated in relatively low return-on-investment figures presented at the Truckload Carriers Association’s Refrigerated Division annual meeting last week in New Mexico….
More

7/19/2011 – FTR Shippers Condition Index Improves for Second Consecutive Month

FTR Associates’ Shippers’ Condition Index has moved upward again this month, signifying improving conditions for shippers with the current softness in the economy. However, FTR analysts say don’t expect that trend to last….
More

7/15/2011 – Another Record Month for TransCore’s North American Freight Index in June

For the month of June, TransCore’s North American Freight Index recorded the second-highest load volume this year and in its 15-year history….
More

7/14/2011 – BTS Index: Freight Shipments Fall 1.8% in May from April


Freight carried by the for-hire transportation industry fell 1.8% in May from April, falling for the second consecutive month, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics’ Freight Transportation Services Index….
More

7/14/2011 – Class 8 Vehicle Demand Continues to be Constrained by Industry’s Ability to Build

While some near term concerns are being generated on the international scene and the U.S. political landscape, demand for commercial vehicles continues to be solid….
More

7/11/2011 – As Tire Prices Rise, Association Warns of Casing Shortage

The Retread Tire Association is warning of a severe shortage of retreadable truck tires, also known as casings, as the first week of July saw another round of tire price hikes….
More

7/8/2011 – Most Carriers Expect Driver Pay to Increase This Year

Two thirds of carriers expect driver wage increases of 1-5% in the recent Second Quarter Business Expectations Survey by Transport Capital Partners….
More

7/7/2011 – FTR’s Trucking Conditions Index Stabilizes in May

FTR’s May Trucking Conditions Index remained basically flat month over month with a reading of 7.3. The Index appears to have stabilized in solidly positive territory after April’s sharp one-month drop in response to softened economic conditions….
More

7/7/2011 – Commercial Vehicle Orders Remain at Healthy Levels in June

A preliminary reading of commercial vehicle net orders in June for North American markets indicated continued strength in demand for medium and heavy-duty vehicles according to ACT Research….
More

7/6/2011 – TransCore’s First Produce Report Tracks Rising Reefer Rates

TransCore released its first in a series of free monthly Produce Season Reports, which shows rates have been rising in most areas of the country….
More

6/30/2011 – 
April 2011 Surface Trade with Canada and Mexico Rose 12.1% from April 2010

Trade using surface transportation between the United States and its North American Free Trade Agreement partners Canada and Mexico was 12.1 percent higher in April 2011 than in April 2010, reaching $73.8 billion, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics of the U.S. Department of Transportation….
More

6/30/2011 – Used Truck Sales Volumes Fall in Response to Lack of Available Inventory

Challenged by a lack of available inventory, sales volumes of used trucks fell in all sales channels during May, according to ACT Research….
More

6/29/2011 – Odyssey Logistics Technology Acquires Capital Transportation Solutions

Odyssey Logistics Technology Corporation acquired Capital Transportation Solutions, a non-asset-based third-party logistics provider specializing in less than truckload transportation management….
More

6/29/2011 – Trailer Orders Fall for Second Month, but Backlogs Continue Growing

Total U.S. trailer net orders fell 9% during May, the second consecutive monthly decline for the industry, accord to ACT Research….
More

6/29/2011 – Carriers Report Increase in Rates in Second Quarter

Eighty-three percent of carriers reported average rate increases in the recent Second Quarter Business Expectations Survey by Transport Capital Partners….
More

6/27/2011 – U.S. Cargo Theft Report: Theft Down March to May YoY

Cargo theft appeared to be down somewhat for the three-month period of March, April and May compared to last year, according to FreightWatch International, although the May numbers for two of the most highly targeted states are still pending….
More

Emil Estafanous, CPA, CFF, CGMA