While the increase points to some stabilization, overall freight levels remain subdued compared to recent years.

Freight Volumes Improve but Remain Soft

ATA’s advanced seasonally adjusted For Hire Truck Tonnage Index reached 112.9 in December, up from 112.4 in November. The index uses 2015 as its base year at 100 and reflects changes in tonnage hauled by for-hire carriers.

December’s reading represented a 0.9 percent increase compared with the same month in 2024, after year-over-year declines in September and October. Despite that improvement, freight activity for the quarter showed continued weakness.

“For the fourth quarter, the index average fell 1.8% from the third quarter, the largest sequential quarterly decline since the second quarter of 2023, and was down 0.3% from the final three months in 2024,” ATA said.

The seasonally adjusted gain for November remained unchanged from what ATA first reported in its December 23 press release.

Economic Headwinds Continue to Weigh on Freight

ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello said broader economic conditions are still limiting freight growth, even with back-to-back monthly gains.

“Despite two consecutive gains, tonnage remains at low levels as the freight metric contracted a total of 2.7% in September and October,” Costello said. “Soft manufacturing and construction activity are continuing to suppress freight levels, as they did for much of last year. For 2025 in total, tonnage rose just 0.1% over the 2024 average, although it was the first annual gain since 2022.”

Those sectors play a major role in freight demand, and continued softness there has kept trucking volumes from rebounding more strongly.

Raw Tonnage Shows Sharper Month-to-Month Jump

On a non-seasonally adjusted basis, which reflects raw changes in freight hauled, the index showed a larger month to month increase. The not seasonally adjusted index rose to 111.9 in December, compared with 107.3 in November, a 4.3 percent increase.

Seasonal shipping patterns often drive larger swings in the raw data at the end of the year, particularly around holiday-related freight.

What the Data Signals Going Into 2026

For truck drivers and industry stakeholders, December’s numbers suggest freight conditions may be stabilizing after a volatile fall, but not yet strengthening in a meaningful way. The modest gains point to slow forward momentum rather than a sharp recovery.

ATA’s data reinforces that freight demand entering 2026 remains closely tied to broader economic performance, particularly in manufacturing and construction sectors that will continue to shape trucking volumes in the months ahead.

Source: The Trucker

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“After a scant 0.1% decline in January, which wasn’t bad considering the harsh winter weather and California wildfires, truck tonnage had a robust gain in February,” said Bob Costello, Chief Economist at the ATA. “This outcome fits well with our growing optimism for the truck freight market after a two-year recession. Some of the gain in February was due to accelerated imports early in the year as shippers rushed to bring products into the U.S. before tariffs hit. Even accounting for this, the first two months of the year were positive, all things considered, indicating that the freight recovery has indeed begun.”

Tonnage Data Highlights

The advanced seasonally adjusted For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index rose to 115.2 in February, up from the January reading of 111.9. Using 2015 as the base year (set at 100), the index also grew 0.6% compared to February 2024. This marks the second consecutive year-over-year increase, a milestone last achieved in early 2023.

However, the unadjusted index, which measures raw tonnage changes without seasonal adjustments, painted a slightly different picture. February saw a decline to 104.8, reflecting a 4.7% drop from January’s value of 110.0.

Building on these insights, the ATA recently updated its seasonally adjusted index, incorporating revisions spanning the last five years during its annual review process.

The Significance of Trucking in the Economy

The trucking industry remains a vital component of the U.S. economy and a reliable indicator of its overall health. Trucks are responsible for moving 72.7% of all domestic freight tonnage, carrying a wide range of goods, from retail products to manufactured materials.

Last year, the industry transported 11.27 billion tons of freight, generating $906 billion in revenue. This impressive figure accounts for 76.9% of earnings across all modes of transport.

The ATA’s tonnage index focuses on contract freight data, rather than the spot market, and is based on surveys conducted among its membership. These figures are preliminary and often revised in subsequent monthly reports, which include detailed analyses of trends and comparisons.

Source: Women in Trucking

Image Source: ATA, Women In Trucking

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This new certification program, developed in collaboration with the University of Denver’s Transportation and Supply Chain Institute, aims to identify and honor North American for-hire truckload carriers that create outstanding work environments. The program evaluates companies that prioritize driver satisfaction through competitive pay, advanced equipment, safety standards, and innovative practices.

Certification Criteria

To earn the TCA Elite Fleet designation, carriers underwent a rigorous assessment. Criteria included key performance metrics such as driver retention, compensation and benefits, job satisfaction, quality of life on the road, workplace safety, operational efficiency, and the condition of company-owned equipment. Surveys from company drivers and independent contractors further validated the results, ensuring the selections reflect real employee perspectives.

The 47 certified carriers recognized as part of the 2025 TCA Elite Fleet include:

• AAT Carriers – Chattanooga, TN

• American Central Transport – Kansas City, MO

• Bison Transport – Winnipeg, MB, Canada

• Brenny Specialized – St Joseph, MN

• Brown Dog Carriers – Biddeford, ME

• Cargo Transporters – Claremont, NC

• Cheema Freightlines – Pacific, WA

• Chief Carriers – Grand Island, NE

• Christenson Transportation – Strafford, MO

• Crawford Trucking – Des Moines, IA

• Don Hummer Trucking – Cedar Rapids, IA

• Dutch Maid Logistics – Willard, CO

• Erb Transport – New Hamburg, ON, Canada

• Fortigo Freight Services – Etobicoke, ON, Canada

• Fremont Contract Carriers – Fremont, NE

• FTC Transportation – Oklahoma City, OK

• Garner Trucking – Findlay, OH

• Grand Island Express – Grand Island, NE

• Halvor Lines – Superior, WI

• Hill Brothers Transportation – Omaha, NE

• Kriska Holdings Limited – Prescott, ON, Canada

• Landair Transport – Greeneville, TN

• Landstar System – Jacksonville, FL

• Liberty Linehaul – Ayr, ON, Canada

• Lion Force Transport – Mississauga, ON, Canada

• Magnum – Fargo, ND

• Marten Transport – Mondovi, WI

• Maverick Transportation – North Little Rock, AR

• Melton Truck Lines – Tulsa, OK

• Mill Creek Motor Freight – Ayr, ON, Canada

• National Carriers – Irving, TX

• NFI Interactive Logistics – Camden, NJ

• Northern Logistics – Clare, MI

• Nussbaum Transportation – Hudson, IL

• PGT Trucking – Aliquippa, PA

• R.E. Garrison Trucking – Vinemont, AL

• Royal Logistics – Fargo, ND

• Spring Creek Carriers – Beamsville, ON, Canada

• Spur Freight Services – Austin, TX

• Stokes Trucking – Tremonton, UT

• TransLand – Strafford, MO

• Transpro Freight Systems – Milton, ON, Canada

• Truline Corporation – Las Vegas, NV

• Veriha Trucking – Marinette, WI

• Werner Enterprises – Omaha, NE

• Western Dairy Transport – Cabool, MO

• Wilson Logistics – Strafford, MO

Industry Recognition

TCA President Jim Ward expressed his pride in this significant milestone, saying, “We are incredibly proud to announce this first class of TCA Elite Fleets. These carriers went through a comprehensive and detailed application process, had their drivers surveyed for validation, and received top scores for their combination of driver compensation, benefits, engagement, satisfaction, training, support, company equipment, safety, and facilities. These forty-seven carriers are truly Elite Fleets, and we extend our heartfelt congratulations to them. I look forward to recognizing and celebrating them next month in Phoenix.”

Upcoming Celebration

The award-winning carriers will be celebrated during TCA’s Annual Convention, set to take place in Phoenix, Arizona. The recognition ceremony is scheduled for Monday, March 17, 2025, as part of a special awards program honoring the achievements of this year’s Elite Fleet recipients.

Source: Truckers News

Image Source: Truckload Carriers Association

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