US freight shipments show positive November results

Demand for the for-hire transportation industry rose by 1.7 percent in November from October, rising after a one month decline according to the US Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) Freight Transportation Services’ Index (TSI).

The statement, which was released today, reported that the level of freight shipments in November were 4.5 percent below the all-time high level of 114.0 in December 2011, which is the highest recorded level since records began in 1990.The results for November 2012 were 15.5 percent higher than the recent low in April 2009 during the recession.

The Freight TSI measures the changes in freight shipments month-to-month by mode of transportation in tons and ton-miles which are combined into a single index. The index measures the output of the for-hire transportation industry, consisting of data from for-hire trucking, rail, inland waterways, pipelines and air freight.

Comparison to 2011

According to a statement released by the US Department of Transportation, November 2012 freight shipments were unchanged from November 2011, but rose 8.8 percent from November 2009, shortly after the end of the recession. Shipments measured by the index remained below the level of November 2005 (112.5) two years prior to the recession.

Long Term Trend

Freight shipments are down 0.4 percent in the five years from the pre-recession level of November 2007 but are up 4.7 percent in the 10 years from November 2002 despite declines in recent years.