Trucking Tonnage Stays Steady
The American Trucking Associations (ATA) tracks tonnage that travels through trucking. It provides the amount of weight being hauled ina given month using an easy-to-read index. The number has been relatively strong as of late, so let us talk about it.
Details
The trucking tonnage index is a simple formula: 100 is the total weight of freight shipped in 2015, and a number above or below that shows how much weight has changed as a result. For example, in March 2020 the index was at 120.1, while in May 2020 it was at 106.1. This means that despite the COVID-19 pandemic slowing things down greatly, more goods were shipped during the pandemic than there were in 2015, signaling a permanent tail of growth.
What the index is at now is 115.3, for August 2025, compared to 114.3 in the month prior (July). While we are not at the same levels of right before COVID happened and everything collapsed like a string of dominoes, the industry is still showing strength and resiliency in the wake of everything that has happened in the last five years, ranging from a once-in-a-century pandemic, wars across the world, and impending trade wars regarding tariffs on the international stage.
“I believe traditional seasonal patterns are off this year as shippers adjust to tariffs.” ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello said in a statement regarding the numbers. “Plus, housing remains soft, the slowing labor market is likely to show up in consumer spending at some point, and most manufacturing metrics are either decelerating or declining.”
Tariffs have been a bit of a sore spot for everyone, with their effects being said to range from complete economic devastation to nothing changing at all. With shippers and manufacturers being warned of them months in advance, some have taken additional stock to ride out the increased prices for as long as possible.
Conclusion
So what does all of this mean? Simply put, it means that regardless of what is going on in the country and the greater world at large, Americans love their stuff, and need it delivered. The need for trucking will continue for many decades to come. Even if fully autonomous drones were to suddenly appear tomorrow, there are many goods hauled by truck, such as construction materials, that are far too heavy for aerial maneuverability. The industry will likely be in good shape for decades to come.
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