ATA Truck Tonnage Index Jumped 2.4 Percent in January.

ARLINGTON, Va. -- The American Trucking Associations' advanced seasonally adjusted For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index increased 2.4 percent in January 2008, after rising an amended 1.5 percent in December 2007.

ATA recently revised the seasonally adjusted index back five years. The new seasonal factors resulted in slightly lower truck tonnage volumes for 2007 than previously reported.

ATA's truck tonnage index fell 1.5 percent in 2007 from the previous year. ATA originally reported a 1.4 percent drop. December's tonnage level, meanwhile, increased a modest 1.5 percent; down from the previously reported 4.1 percent gain. ATA annually revises the index as part of its calculation for the upcoming year's seasonal factors. ATA also restated the not seasonally adjusted data for several months in 2007 as some carriers amended tonnage levels at year end. The not seasonally adjusted index surged 11.4 percent from December to 113.6.

The latest seasonally adjusted increase marked the third sequential gain, totaling 5.7 percent. The tonnage index stood at 117.3 (2000 = 100) in January, a 26-month high. Tonnage was also up 5.3 percent from a year earlier, which was the largest year-over-year gain since January 2005.

ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello said January's strength is a good sign. But he stopped short of saying that truck tonnage is on the road to recovery.

"The economy is either in a mild recession or on the brink of one, and we are hearing anecdotal reports that freight volumes slowed in February," he said. "I anticipate that truck tonnage will recover before the general economy, but I am withholding judgment on whether truck tonnage is in a recovery mode until I analyze another month or two of data."

Truck tonnage, which often leads both recessions and recoveries, has rebounded, in some cases, before the overall economy actually started a recession, according to Costello.

Trucking serves as a barometer of the U.S. economy because it represents nearly 70 percent of tonnage carried by all modes of domestic freight transportation, including manufactured and retail goods.

Trucks hauled 10.7 billion tons of freight in 2006. Motor carriers collected $645.6 billion, or 83.8 percent of total revenue earned by all transport modes.

ATA calculates the tonnage index based on surveys from its membership and has been doing so since the 1970s. This is a preliminary figure and subject to change in the final report issued around the 10th day of the month. The report includes month-to-month and year-over-year results, relevant economic comparisons, and key financial indicators.

The American Trucking Associations is the largest national trade association for the trucking industry. Through a federation of other trucking groups, industry-related conferences, and its 50 affiliated state trucking associations, ATA represents more than 37,000 members covering every type of motor carrier in the United States.

Note to Editors: A graph is available at www.Truckline.com.