CCJ Indicators: ATA reports tonnage increase for January, trailer orders lose steam

The latest economic indicators for the trucking industry point to more freight and a dip in trailer orders following a hot fourth quarter:

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02 24 15 -- Tonnage Graphic for Highroad

Tonnage climbs: The American Trucking Associations’ monthly For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index rose 1.2 percent in January from December and 6.6 percent from last January — the largest year-over-year gain in more than a year. The seasonally adjusted index equaled 135.7 in the month — an all-time high.

In all of 2014, tonnage was up 3.7 percent from 2013, ATA says, which is a slight upward revision from its December report. Tonnage has also climbed 6.7 percent since March 2014’s most recent bottom.

“Last year was slightly better for truck tonnage than we originally thought and I am expecting that momentum to continue in 2015,” said ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello.[/gttable]

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Great Dane Freedom LT

Trailer orders return to normal: Following what FTR calls a “blazing pace” in truck orders from October to December, the number of net trailer orders in January settled to a more normal order rate, the research firm reports.

The number of net orders was 27,300, and orders in the last 12 months have exceeded 360,000, the firm says.

“The trailer market remains very vibrant,” says FTR’s Don Ake. “Many Q3 orders remain speculative, but fleets are optimistic about 2015. Cancellations were up, but that often happens at the beginning of the year when fleets take a closer look at their requirements.  With backlogs very high, order patterns should start to follow a more traditional pattern.”[/gttable]