BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — FTR’s Trucking Conditions Index rose to 4.85 in December from the 2.14 reading in November, driven largely by stronger freight rates and capacity utilization.
“The TCI already indicated consistently favorable conditions for trucking companies over the next couple of years, but the latest outlook is even stronger,” said Avery Vise, FTR’s vice president of trucking.
Index Strongest Since February 2022
As measured by the TCI, overall market conditions are the most favorable for carriers since February 2022 and are largely expected to remain favorable over the forecast horizon.
“FTR’s forecasts for the economy and for industrial activity improved significantly in the latest adjustment,” Vise said. “We caution that the economic data fueling our improved forecasts is quite recent and subject to revision. However, other independent signals also point to a stronger truck freight market, including extraordinary spot rate increases in the wake of recent severe winter weather and the Institute for Supply Management’s healthy manufacturing index reading for January. FTR is not forecasting anything like the 2021 market, but something close to it no longer seems inconceivable.”
Dana Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has been featured in multiple newspapers, books and magazines across the globe. She is currently based in the Atlanta, Georgia, area.
