ATA Truck Tonnage Index Slips 0.3% Sequentially in April

The freight sector saw a slight decline in tonnage this past month due to fluctuating market conditions, but there’s still a silver lining—it’s up compared to last year, according to the American Trucking Associations.

The For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index dipped by 0.3% from March’s figure of 113.3 to settle at 113 for April; however, it did show a modest increase of 0.1% compared to April of last year—marking four consecutive months of yearly growth.

“After an notable jump of 2.8% in February and reaching its highest point as May last year, we’ve seen tonnage drop by a total of 1.8% over March and April,” noted Bob Costello, chief Economist at ATA.”regrettably, the anticipated recovery hasn’t materialized as we navigate through an unpredictable freight landscape influenced by tariffs and weakening economic signals.”

if we look at seasonally adjusted figures without adjustments for seasonal variations, tonnage fell by about 2.2%, landing at an index value of 112 this month. The ATA compiles its monthly index based on insights gathered from contract freight data; remember that an index value of 100 corresponds with the baseline established in 2015.

For more details or to catch today’s briefing: