Trends: Truck tonnage hit 20-year high in 2018

摘要

It was a busy year for American trucking in 2018, with trucking activity posting its highest gain in 20 years and almost doubling the prior year’s increase, according to the American Trucking Associations. The ATA’s For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index increased 6.6% in 2018, a large increase from the 3.8% in 2017 and the largest annual gain since 1998 (10.1%). The gain came despite a significant slowdown at the end of the year, with the seasonally adjusted Truck Tonnage Index for the month of December declining by 4.3%. “The good news is that 2018 was a banner year for truck tonnage, witnessing the largest annual increase we’ve seen in two decades,” said ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello. “With that said, there is evidence that the industry and economy is moderating as tonnage fell a combined total of 5.6% in October and November after hitting an all-time high in October.”