The American Trucking Associations’ advanced, seasonally-adjusted for-hire Truck Tonnage Index decreased 2.1 percent in August. The setback was preceded by a 0.7 percent gain in July.
On a seasonally adjusted basis, the tonnage index fell to 110.9 (2000=100) from 113.3 in July. August’s index level is the lowest reading since tonnage stood at 110.4 in March of this year and is now 2.9 percent lower than a year earlier. Year-to-date, the truck tonnage index is down 2 percent, compared with the same period in 2005. The not-seasonally adjusted index jumped 6.8 percent from July to 116.5.
Trucks hauled 10.7 billion tons of freight in 2005. Motor carriers collected $623 billion, or 84.3 percent of total revenue earned by all transport modes.