April 11, 2006 10:30 AM, EDT

ATA’s February Tonnage Drop Is Greater Than Previously Reported

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merican Trucking Associations’ final for-hire truck tonnage index dropped 3.6% in February, the first monthly decline since August, the group said late Monday.

The decline was bigger than the 2.5% drop ATA had reported in late March in its preliminary February numbers. (Click here for previous coverage.)

The decline left the seasonally adjusted index at a reading of 113.7, ATA said. It was 1.4% lower than February 2005.

he non-seasonally adjusted index dropped 5.6% from the previous month, after rising 1.4% in January.

ATA said the 3.6% drop was much larger than the average 0.2% decline for the month of February since 1990.

“We continue to believe that motor carriers should expect modest growth in volumes going forward and that the latest decrease should not alarm the industry,” ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello said when the initial report was issued in late March.

ATA’s economics department calculates the monthly index based on surveys of its members.