IRU member the American Trucking Associations (ATA) has been calculating the tonnage index based on surveys from its membership since the 1970s. Here are the results for July 2025.
Trucking activity in the US increased again in August, pushing the level up to the highest point since December 2023. Specifically, truck freight tonnage rose 0.9% after gaining 1.1% in July, according to ATA’s advanced seasonally adjusted For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index.
ATA Chief Economist and IRU Goods Transport Council Vice President Bob Costello said, “The good news is that truck freight volumes had a nice end of the summer.
“However, while I’d like to predict a strong rebound in freight levels through the upcoming holidays, I can’t. I believe traditional seasonal patterns are off this year as shippers adjust to tariffs.
“Plus, housing remains soft, the slowing labour market is likely to show up in consumer spending at some point, and most manufacturing metrics are either decelerating or declining.”
In August, the ATA advanced seasonally adjusted For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index equalled 115.3, up from 114.3 in July. The index, which is based on 2015 as 100, rose 0.4% from the same month last year after increasing 0.5% in July. Year to date, tonnage was up 0.1%.
The not seasonally adjusted index, which calculates raw changes in tonnage hauled, equalled 117.7 in August, 0.3% above July’s reading of 117.4.
Trucking serves as a barometer of the US economy, representing 72.7% of tonnage carried by all modes of domestic freight transport, including manufactured and retail goods. Trucks hauled 11.27 billion tons of freight in 2024. Motor carriers collected USD 906 billion, or 76.9% of total revenue earned by all transport modes.
Both indices are dominated by contract freight, as opposed to traditional spot market freight.
This story was originally published by ATA.