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Truck Tonnage Rises to Record High in January

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Truck tonnage rose 6.5% in January from the same month last year to a record high reading, American Trucking Associations said.

The jump to a reading of 125.2 was the biggest year-over-year gain in more than a year, ATA said in its monthly seasonally adjusted for-hire truck tonnage report released Tuesday.

Month-to-month, tonnage rose 2.9% after a revised 2.4% increase in December that was smaller than the 2.8% gain originally reported.

The January increase is the biggest year-over-year gain since December 2011, when the index had hit its previous record high reading of 124.4.

The not seasonally adjusted index — which represents tonnage actually hauled by fleets — rose 10.7% in January from the previous month to a reading of 122.4.

ATA uses the year 2000 as a 100-reading baseline.

“The trucking industry started 2013 with a bang, reflected in the best January tonnage report in five years,” ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello said, though he added he believes the overall economy will be sluggish in the first quarter.

“Trucking likely benefited in January from an inventory destocking that transpired late last year, thus boosting volumes more than normal early this year as businesses replenish those lean inventories,” he said.

ATA calculates the tonnage each month based on reports by its member trucking companies.

By Transport Topics

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