Truck Tonnage Rises 0.8% in September

Truck tonnage rose 0.8% in September from the same month a year ago, American Trucking Associations said late Monday.

The index rose year-over-year largely due to weak 2007 volumes and is falling toward negative territory, ATA said in its monthly seasonally adjusted for-hire truck tonnage index.

Tonnage fell 0.9% in September, marking the third consecutive month-to-month drop, ATA said.

ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello said the recent decreases were consistent with a looming recession, which he forecasts started in the third quarter and will last through the first quarter of next year.

“I anticipate truck freight volumes to continue to fall before they improve,” said Costello. “It is a tough freight market, and there is nothing on the horizon that says this will change anytime soon,” Costello said in a statement.

ATA calculates the tonnage each month based on reports by its member trucking companies.