WASHINGTON (Aug. 26, 2010) — Tonnage carried by the nation's truckers rose 7.4 percent in July, the eighth straight year-over-year gain, according to the American Trucking Associations (ATA).
Despite the apparent gains, ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello maintains the U.S. economy is slowing and the trucking industry can expect only moderate gains throughout the second half.
The latest monthly gain puts the year-to-date improvement at 6.7 percent, the ATA said, referring to data from the associations' monthly seasonally adjusted for-hire truck tonnage index.
“The economy is slowing and truck freight tonnage has essentially gone sideways since April,” Mr. Costello said in a statement.
“After accounting for the reduction in supply over the last few years, even small gains in tonnage will have a larger impact on the industry than in past,” he added.
The ATA calculates the industry's shipping trends each month based on reports by its member trucking companies.