WASHINGTON — Trucking activity in the United States decreased 1% in July after rising 1.5% in June, according to the American Trucking Associations’ advanced seasonally adjusted For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index.
“Tonnage levels have been choppy recently, and this trend was reflected in July’s decline,” said Bob Costello, ATA chief economist. “Aside from a couple pockets of strength, including the boom in data center construction for AI, freight has been lackluster. It is also true that the industry is seeing a recovery, but that is nearly all due to excess capacity leaving the market.”
In July, the ATA advanced seasonally adjusted For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index equaled 113.5, down from 114.7 in June. The index, which is based on 2015 as 100, decreased 0.5% from the same month in 2025, which was worse than June’s 1.2% gain. Year-to-date, compared with the same period in 2025, tonnage is up 1.4% due to robust year-over-year increases from February through April.
June’s reading was revised up from what was first reported in July.
The not seasonally adjusted index, which calculates raw changes in tonnage hauled, equaled 117 in July, 0.9% below June’s reading of 118.
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.
