Freight Index Rises to Best Level on Record
The amount of freight carried by the nation’s for-hire transportation industry rose 1.2 percent in November from October, rebounding from a one-month decline to reach its highest all-time level, according to a new U.S. Department of Transportation report.
The November 2013 Freight Transportation Services Index level of 116.5 was 22.8 percent above the April 2009 low during the most recent recession and exceeds the previous high of 115.4 in September 2013. Records go back to 2000.
“Growth in tonnage intensive industries such as heavy construction and oil and gas fracking produced an increase in truck tonnage,” the DOT said. Compared to the same month a year ago, November 2013 freight shipments were up 5.2 percent from November 2012.
