DOT: Freight carried in January drops again, weather could be factor

The amount of freight carried by the for-hire transportation industry fell again in January, but is still in all-time high territory, according to the Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics’ monthly Freight Transportation Services Index.

The Index hit an all-time high in November before dropping some in December and then again in January.

January’s reading of 113.6, however, is still higher than all months preceding March 2013, though it is the lowest since April 2013.

The Index fell 2.8 percent from December and is 3.5 percent lower than November’s all-time high of 117.6. It’s 19.8 percent higher, though, than April 2009’s all-time low.

Also, in the DOT’s report on January, it reported an upward revision to December’s reading, pushing it to 116.8 rather than the 116.5 originally reported.

According to analysis in the report, trucking saw the largest decline, and the Index’s drop is likely due to severe winter weather that “[affected] the demand goods to ship as well as the ability to move goods.”

The index was up 1.3 percent over the same month in 2013.