Freight Market Shows Signs of Recovery with 3% Tonnage Increase in February
The freight market saw a 3% increase in tonnage in February, marking its second consecutive year-over-year gain and fueling optimism about a potential recovery from its recession, according to a report from the American Trucking Associations (ATA) on March 18.
The ATA For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index rose to 115.2, up from 111.9 in January. This represents a 0.6% increase compared to the same period in 2024, marking the first time the index has achieved consecutive year-over-year gains since early 2023.
“Following a slight decline of 0.1% in January—an outcome that was understandable given the severe winter weather and the wildfires in California—truck tonnage rebounded strongly in February,” said Bob Costello, ATA Chief Economist. “This improvement aligns with our increasing optimism regarding the truck freight market after a two-year downturn.”
The ATA’s monthly tonnage index is derived from data collected from contract freight. In this index, a value of 100 corresponds to the year 2015. However, it’s worth noting that the not seasonally adjusted index fell by 4.7% sequentially to 104.8 in February, reflecting raw changes in tonnage transported.
“Part of February’s increase can be attributed to a surge in imports as shippers rushed to bring products into the U.S. ahead of impending tariffs,” Costello explained. “Nonetheless, the positive results in the first two months of the year indicate that the freight recovery is underway.”
