Truck tonnage fell 2.1% last month

Sept. 27, 2006

The American Trucking Associations' truck tonnage index dropped 2.1% in August after a .7% gain in July.

Year-to-date, truck tonnage index is down 2% versus the same period in 2005.

"Freight volumes typically increase between July and August, but the gain this year wasn’t strong enough to push the seasonally adjusted reading into positive territory," explains ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello.

"The dramatic fall in the housing sector in recent months impacted August truck tonnage, specifically flatbed freight.

"Although there is not as much flatbed tonnage as dry van tonnage, a slowdown in flatbed freight weighed down the overall figure."

The ATA calculates the tonnage index based on surveys of its membership.