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Truck Tonnage and Intermodal Traffic Up

Though totals are still down year over year, September figures indicate the situation is improving. But economists say upcoming periods will be marked by frequent ups and downs.

By John McCloud | Updated on November 10, 2009

WASHINGTON, DC-US truck tonnage in September experienced its smallest monthly drop since November 2008, while intermodal rail traffic achieved its highest monthly level since the same date. Nonetheless, truck tonnage was down 7.3% compared to September ’08, while intermodal traffic was down 14.6% year over year.

Truck tonnage was also down compared to the preceding two months, according to the American Trucking Associations. The organization’s seasonally adjusted for-hire truck tonnage index fell 0.3% from August. By contrast, the August index showed a 2.1% increase from the July level. The September index registered 103.9, with the year 2000 as the base year at 100.

The decline in the reading indicates economic recovery will be “moderate and choppy,” in the words of ATA chief economist Bob Costello, but he says the industry should not be alarmed by the decrease.”We took two steps forward in July and August, and this was a miniscule step backward,” he remarks. While he says the industry should be prepared for ups and downs in coming months, he believes the general trend runs toward moderate improvement.

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