Trucking tonnage up 3.5% in 2014

ARLINGTON, Va. (Jan. 21, 2015) — The amount of freight moved by truck increased 3.5 percent in 2014 over 2013 and the outlook for 2015 is positive as well, according to the American Trucking Associations (ATA).

The association reported that its advanced seasonally adjusted For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index was unchanged in December, following a jump of 3.5 percent during the previous month. In December, the index equaled 136.8 (2000=100), which tied November as the all-time high.

Compared with December 2013, the index increased 5.2 percent, which was the largest year-over-year gain in 2014.

The not seasonally adjusted index, which represents the change in tonnage actually hauled by the fleets before any seasonal adjustment, equaled 133.5 in December — which was 6.1 percent above the previous month (125.8).

“Economic data was mixed in December, with retail sales down 0.9 percent and factory output up 0.3 percent, so tonnage was in-between those two readings, which are two large drivers of truck freight,” said ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello. “Overall, 2014 was a good year for truck tonnage with significant gains throughout the year after falling 4.5 percent in January alone.”

He said tonnage in December was 10.2 percent above the previous January.

“Freight volumes look good going into 2015,” he said. “Expect an acceleration in consumer spending and factory output to offset the weakness in hydraulic fracking this year.”

Trucking represents 69.1 percent of tonnage carried by all modes of domestic freight transportation, including manufactured and retail goods, according to the ATA. Trucks hauled 9.7 billion tons of freight in 2013. Motor carriers collected $681.7 billion, or 81.2 percent of total revenue earned by all transport modes.