The FTR Trucking Conditions Index (TCI) for October 2009 increased for the third consecutive month to -16.4, the highest reading since November 2008.
The index, a combination of five truck industry statistics into one metric, however remains significantly below a neutral reading of zero. Eric Starks, president of FTR explains “The continued negative TCI reading is a clear sign that the transportation industry is still struggling from the steep downturn seen late last year and into 2009. Real acceleration in the trucking fundamentals that we track for this index will likely wait for a substantial recovery in volumes and capacity utilization which we don’t expect to occur for at least another year.”
The Trucking Conditions Index combines five trucking industry statistics into one metric measuring the overall health of the trucking industry and is reported in The Trucker’s Dashboard, a monthly publication of FTR Associates. The Trucker’s Dashboard gives freight companies a quick look at freight trends, industry capacity, trucking costs, driver supply and other factors affecting their operations. FTR uses available data and proprietary calculations to forecast the upcoming demand for freight services. For more information about how to subscribe to The Trucker’s Dashboard, call 888-988-1699 ext. 1.