ATA Truck Tonnage Index Surges 5.4 Percent; Back to Back Increases in June and July.

Business Editors/Automotive Writers

ALEXANDRIA, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 28, 2003

The American Trucking Associations' seasonally adjusted Truck Tonnage Index increased 5.4 percent to 155.6 (1993=100) in July, the national association for the trucking industry reported today. Compared to July 2002, the unadjusted index increased by 2.3 percent.

July's jump was in addition to a revised 1.9 percent increase in June and was the second consecutive monthly rise in the index. For the first seven months of 2003, the truck tonnage index was 3.7 percent higher compared to the same time period in 2002.

"It's good to see July truck freight volumes so strong," said Bob Costello, ATA's chief economist, "considering that these months of the year can be a 'mixed bag' due to manufacturing retooling."

Many manufacturing plants shut down in the summer for a week or two to retool the assembly lines, which often has a negative impact on truck freight volumes. The manufacturing industry is the largest customer of the trucking industry. "July's increase is further evidence that the trucking industry is on a recovery path and I expect freight volumes to continue to improve as the economy does," Costello said.

Trucks hauled 8.9 billion tons of freight in 2002, or 67.9 percent of all tonnage carried by all modes of domestic freight transportation. Motor carriers collected $585 billion dollars or 87 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 its final report issued around the 5th day of every month. The association releases a full report on the index during the first full week of every month. The bellwether report from ATA's Economics and Statistics Group is a key indicator of for-hire trucking activity. The report includes month-to-month and year-over-year results, relevant economic comparisons and other financial indicators.

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 fifty affiliated state trucking associations, ATA represents more than 37,000 members covering every type of motor carrier in the United States. ATA promotes highway safety and security and represents the interests of 10.1 million people directly and indirectly employed by the trucking industry before the White House, the U.S. Congress, the courts and federal and state regulatory agencies.