A monthly index that measures the total weight of freight hauled (NOT volume) by the U.S. trucking industry, serving as a barometer for the U.S. economy. It is based on surveys of the ATA members fleets and is not seasonally adjusted and is based on contract freight rather than spot market freight.
Lagging data: There is a one-month lag between when the data is collected and when the index is reported.
Anyone that has an interest in freight movement patterns or trucking demand. i.e. Shippers, freight brokers, fleet managers, executives in a transportation company, owner operators
It provides insight into economic activity, production, and consumer demand, with a rise in the index generally indicating economic expansion.
