HOUSTON (ICIS)–US trucking activity edged
lower in April as the industry has yet to
experience a recovery as it deals with tariff
uncertainty and softening economic indicators,
according to the American Trucking Associations
(ATA) seasonally adjusted For-Hire Truck
Tonnage Index.
The index fell by 0.3% in April after
contracting by 1.5% in March, as shown in the
following chart.
Source: American Trucking Associations
ATA chief economist Bob Costello said the index
has fallen for two consecutive months after
surging in February to its highest since May
2024.
“Unfortunately, a recovery that was expected
this year hasn’t transpired as the industry
deals with a freight market in flux from
tariffs and softening economic indicators,”
Costello said.
The not seasonally adjusted index, which
calculates raw changes in tonnage hauled,
equaled 112.0 in April, 2.2% below March’s
reading of 114.6.
Both indices are dominated by contract freight,
as opposed to traditional spot market freight.
RATES EDGE HIGHER ON ROADCHECK
WEEK
Broker-posted spot rates in the FTR
Transportation Intelligence Truckstop system
for dry van and refrigerated equipment soared
during the week ended 16 May (week 19) due to
the annual International Roadcheck roadside
inspection event, which was held 13-15 May.
FTR’s Trucking Conditions Index reading for
March improved to a positive 0.28 reading from
-0.21 in February, as shown in the following
chart.
Avery Vise, FTR’s vice president of trucking,
said more volatility is expected in the near
term.
“After a strong first quarter in freight volume
– at least partially due to a pull-forward of
imports in advance of tariffs – we expect more
volatility in the months ahead as shippers
respond to US trade policy shifts,” Vise said.
“The recent short-term agreement between the US
and China greatly reduces the potential
near-term hit to freight volumes, but we still
expect uncertainty and higher costs for
consumers to be drags on the economy and
freight,” Vise said.
WHITE HOUSE ORDER COULD REDUCE
DRIVERS
Vise said a wild card that market participants
are watching is whether renewed scrutiny
concerning truck drivers’ English language
skills and non-domicile commercial driver’s
licenses (CDLs) will affect the driver supply
significantly.
US President Donald Trump signed an executive
order recently aimed at, “ensuring anyone
behind the wheel of a commercial vehicle is
properly qualified and proficient in English”.
ATA Senior Vice President of Regulatory &
Safety Policy Dan Horvath said the executive
order responds to its concerns on the uneven
application of this existing regulation and
looks forward to working with regulators on an
enforcement standard.
A distributor in the US chemical markets said
it has not seen any disruptions in its trucking
operations and suggested enforcement could be
difficult.
Trump’s order reversed a 2016 policy that said
commercial vehicle drivers should not be placed
out-of-service for English language proficiency
(ELP) violations.
The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA),
a nonprofit organization comprised of local,
state, provincial, territorial and federal
commercial motor vehicle safety officials and
industry representatives, issued updated
guidance this week that ELP violations will be
out-of-service offenses again beginning 25
June.
