DOT Freight Transportation Index Rises 1.5%
The Department of Transportation’s freight transportation services index rose 1.5% in September from the same month in 2014, DOT said Nov. 12.
The freight TSI increased 0.2% in September from the prior month to a reading of 123.4, DOT’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics said in its monthly report.
September’s reading was only 0.1% below the all-time high of 123.5 set in November 2014. DOT uses a baseline reading of 100 from the year 2000.
The August level was revised down from the highest on record to 123.2.
“The Freight TSI increase was limited to fewer modes than it has been in many previous months — trucking, airfreight and pipeline showed significant gains, while rail carload, rail intermodal and waterborne decreased,” DOT said in a statement.
“While there was a decline in the Federal Reserve Board Industrial Production index, which TSI often tracks, other indicators of the general economy — employment, personal income and housing starts — all increased,” DOT said.
The freight 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.
