WASHINGTON — Trucking activity in the United States increased 0.8% in September after falling 0.2% in August, according to the American Trucking Associations’ (ATA) advanced seasonally adjusted For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index.
“Truck tonnage ended the quarter on a better note, but weakness in July and August pushed the third quarter reading into negative territory both sequentially and from a year earlier,” said Bob Costello, ATA chief economist. “We are seeing soft tonnage levels, but capacity is still contracting, which is leading to a better market for motor carriers.”
Tonnage Up Year-Over-Year
In September, the ATA advanced seasonally adjusted For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index equaled 114, up from 113.1 in August. The index, which is based on 2015 as 100, was unchanged from the same month in 2025, which was better than August’s 1.3% decline. Year-to-date, compared with the same period in 2025, tonnage is up 0.9% due to robust year-over-year increases from February through April.
August’s reading was revised up from what was first reported in Septemeber.
The not seasonally adjusted index, which calculates raw changes in tonnage hauled, equaled 114.8 in September, 1.4% below August’s reading of 116.4.
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