Truck tonnage levels increased for the second consecutive month, according to data issued today by the American Trucking Associations (ATA).
The August reading of the ATA’s advanced Seasonally Adjusted (SA) For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index came in at 115.3 (2015=100), topping July’s 114.3 reading by 0.4% (July was upwardly revised), following a 0.5% July gain. Through the first eight months of 2025, ATA said that SA For-Hire Truck Tonnage is up 0.1%.
The ATA’s not seasonally adjusted (SA) For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index, which represents the change in tonnage actually hauled by fleets before any seasonal adjustment and the metric ATA says fleets should benchmark their levels with, registered a 117.7 August reading, topping July’s 117.4 by 0.3%.
“The good news is that truck freight volumes had a nice end of the summer,” said ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello. “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 labor market is likely to show up in consumer spending at some point, and most manufacturing metrics are either decelerating or declining.”
