Truck Tonnage Index Shows Strong Results in Latest ATA Report

ATA Reports Truck Tonnage Index Rose 0.9% in August

Truck Tonnage Index Records Rare Consecutive Gains

The American Trucking Associations (ATA) reports that the Truck Tonnage Index rose 0.9% in August, marking a rare second straight monthly gain. This increase follows a 1.1% rise in July, pushing freight activity to its highest level since December 2023.

ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello acknowledged the recent gains but remained cautious about the outlook. “The good news is that truck freight volumes had a nice end of the summer,” Costello said. “However, while I’d like to predict a strong rebound in freight levels through the upcoming holidays, I can’t. I believe traditional seasonal patterns are off this year as shippers adjust to tariffs. Plus, housing remains soft, the slowing labor market is likely to show up in consumer spending at some point, and most manufacturing metrics are either decelerating or declining.”

August Index Shows Modest Growth

According to the ATA report, the seasonally adjusted Truck Tonnage Index reached 115.3 in August, up from 114.3 in July. Compared to the same month last year, the index rose 0.4%, following a 0.5% annual gain in July. Year-to-date, tonnage levels are up only 0.1% compared to the same period in 2024.

The not seasonally adjusted index, which measures raw freight volumes, registered 117.7 in August, 0.3% higher than July’s 117.4 reading. ATA also revised its July seasonally adjusted increase upward, noting that it was larger than first reported.

Truck Tonnage Index as an Economic Indicator

The Truck Tonnage Index is often viewed as a key barometer of U.S. economic conditions. Trucking accounted for 72.7% of all domestic freight tonnage in 2024, with trucks hauling an estimated 11.27 billion tons of freight. According to ATA reports, motor carriers collected $906 billion in revenue last year, which represented 76.9% of all freight transportation revenue across modes.

The index is dominated by contract freight, which is less volatile than the spot market. Since the 1970s, the ATA has calculated the index using member surveys, releasing preliminary results monthly and final figures around the fifth of each following month.

Outlook for 2025

While the ATA reports that August showed another increase in the Truck Tonnage Index, the outlook for the remainder of the year remains uncertain. Factors such as weak housing demand, a slowing labor market, and soft manufacturing activity continue to weigh on the industry. In addition, shifting tariff policies have disrupted traditional shipping patterns, making forecasting more challenging.

Despite these headwinds, two consecutive months of growth in the index provide cautious optimism as carriers prepare for the final quarter of the year.