Washington — Trucking activity in the United States increased slightly in July, but activity has been fairly flat since March. Specifically, truck freight tonnage rose 0.6% after falling 0.7% in June, according to the Ӱɴý’ advanced seasonally adjusted For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index.
“July truck tonnage increased sequentially, but did not erase the 0.7% decline in June,” said Ӱɴý Chief Economist Bob Costello. “Since March, truck tonnage has been in a tight range. The good news is truck freight volumes haven’t fallen much over that period, but we are not seeing many increases either. In July, there were mixed drivers of truck tonnage with housing starts and retail sales up, while manufacturing output was flat to down depending on the metric.”
In July, the Ӱɴý advanced seasonally adjusted For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index equaled 113.7, up from 113.0 in June. The index, which is based on 2015 as 100, slipped 0.1% from the same month last year after falling 0.4% in June. Year-to-date, compared with the same period in 2024, tonnage was unchanged.
June’s SA decline was larger than first reported in our July 22 press release.
The not seasonally adjusted index, which calculates raw changes in tonnage hauled, equaled 116.8 in July, 1.9% above June’s reading of 114.6.
Trucking serves as a barometer of the U.S. economy, representing 72.7% of tonnage carried by all modes of domestic freight transportation, including manufactured and retail goods. Trucks hauled 11.27 billion tons of freight in 2024. Motor carriers collected $906 billion, or 76.9% of total revenue earned by all transport modes.
Both indices are dominated by contract freight, as opposed to traditional spot market freight. The tonnage index is calculated 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 5th day of each month. The report includes month-to-month and year-over-year results, relevant economic comparisons, and key financial indicators.