DOT Freight Transport Index Improves in May
The Department of Transportation’s freight transportation services index rose 4.4% in May from a year ago, marking the third straight year-to-year increase.
May’s freight TSI reading of 97.7 compares with last May’s 93.5, which was the lowest level since June 1997.
The index is down 13.5% from its historic peak of 112.9 set in May 2006. The 2.6% gain in March was the first year-to-year increase since July 2008.
The index slipped 0.4% in May from April, DOT’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics said in its monthly report released Wednesday.
The TSI is a seasonally adjusted monthly index measuring the output of services provided by the for-hire transportation industries, including railroad, air, truck, inland waterways, pipeline and local transit.
