CCJâs Indicators rounds up the latest reports on trucking business indicators on rates, freight, equipment, the economy and more.
FTRâs Trucking Conditions Index, a measure of market conditions for carriers, fell further into negative territory in May, reflecting a general weakness in conditions for fleets, FTR says.
The firm projects trucking conditions to remain in slightly negative territory through the rest of the year. Mayâs negative reading is due mostly to softer rates. Freight demand was a positive contributor in May, says FTR, though it wasnât particularly strong, either.
âAlthough we have dropped from double-digit TCI readings to negative readings in less than a year, we believe the outlook for the rest of 2019 generally is for stability close to neutral conditions,â says Avery Vise, vice president of trucking for FTR. âItâs also important to recognize that most of the weakness is in the industrial sector, so trucking activity related to consumer demand should be relatively stronger than the rest of the industry.â
