�Ӱɴ�ý

Arlington, Va. — �Ӱɴ�ý’ advanced seasonally adjusted (SA) For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index increased 0.1% in July, following a 4.4% drop during June. In July, the index equaled 138.5 (2000=100), up from 138.4 in June.

Compared with July 2016, the SA index increased 2.3%. In June, the index rose 1.2% on a year-over-year basis. Year-to-date, compared with the same seven months in 2016, the index is up 1.2%.

As part of this report, �Ӱɴ�ý also revised its June drop in the index downward to a 4.4% decrease from the previously reported 4.3% decline.

The not seasonally adjusted index, which represents the change in tonnage actually hauled by the fleets before any seasonal adjustment, equaled 141 in July, which was 2.2% below the previous month (144.2).

“July’s small increase in truck tonnage fits with other mixed economic indicators,” said �Ӱɴ�ý Chief Economist Bob Costello. “Retail sales surprised to the upside, but manufacturing production and housing starts were down, so combined those likely caused a rather flat month in July for truck tonnage.

“With better economic growth in the second half of 2017, expect truck tonnage to continue increasing at a moderate pace on a year-over-year basis,” he said.

Trucking serves as a barometer of the U.S. economy, representing 70.6% of tonnage carried by all modes of domestic freight transportation, including manufactured and retail goods. Trucks hauled nearly 10.5 billion tons of freight in 2016. Motor carriers collected $676.2 billion, or 79.8% of total revenue earned by all transport modes.

�Ӱɴ�ý calculates the tonnage index based on surveys from its membership and has been doing so since the 1970s. This is a preliminary figure and subject to change in the final report issued around the 10th day of the month. The report includes month-to-month and year-over-year results, relevant economic comparisons and key financial indicators.