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ATA Truck Tonnage Reaches 3-Year High in February
Capacity Tightening Lifts Sequential and Annual Freight Volumes
Key Takeaways:
- ATA’s truck tonnage index rose 2.6% sequentially and 2.1% year over year, marking its highest level in three years.
- Industrial and construction-related freight tied to data center development is outperforming consumer-focused sectors.
- Capacity exits and delayed equipment purchases are contributing to higher spot rates despite uneven freight demand.
Freight tonnage in February reached its highest level in three years, American Trucking Associations reported March 24.
The ATA For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index increased 2.6% sequentially to 116.2 in February from 113.3 in January. The results also marked a 2.1% increase from 2025, which is the largest year-over-year gain since October 2022.
“February’s robust gain is great to see, but the size of the gain is likely magnified due to lower industry capacity,” said ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello. “With that said, particularly after a very prolonged freight recession, improving volumes in any manner is welcomed.”
ATA also found freight tonnage was up 1.4% during the first two months of the year compared with 2025. The monthly index is calculated based on feedback from carriers hauling contract freight. In calculating the index, 100 represents 2015.
Logistics Managers' Index
The increased 1.9 points from the previous month to 61.5 in February. pointed out that the year-ago period was a time of significant buildup with inventory levels expanding quickly to stay ahead of tariffs. It now finds that firms are taking the opposite approach by keeping inventory levels lean to avoid existing tariff costs.
The LMI report noted tariff‑driven uncertainty has persisted for a year, though supply chains have adapted effectively.
“With the recent ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court,” the report stated, “it seems likely this uncertainty will continue through 2026. It will be interesting to continue observing the effects of this on logistics activity.”
Cass Freight Index
The found that shipments decreased 7.2% year over year to 0.978 from 1.054. But shipments increased 10.4% sequentially from 0.886. noted that recent spot rate strength is going up against a surge in diesel prices, which also added costs for contract freight. It added that rates have begun a supply-driven recovery even amid soft freight demand.
“You can see right now that certain sectors of the economy tied to single-family housing are doing very poorly,” said Jason Miller, professor of supply chain management at Michigan State University. “But more of that heavy industrial type of freight is doing well.”
Miller pointed to furniture manufacturing, household appliance manufacturing and paper production as areas of weak performance. Activity is coming more from the flatbed operations that support industrial construction, structural metals, construction equipment and large storage batteries, with the infrastructure for artificial intelligence being a big driver.
“Steel production being up is being driven primarily by ‘construction steel,’ and that stuff going into data centers,” Miller said. “You’ve got a lot of construction equipment demand, that’s to build data centers, versus, let’s say, farm equipment, that’s doing pretty poor right now.”
ISM Chicago Business Survey
The climbed 3.7 points to 57.7 in February. The report noted that was the second consecutive month of expansion after a run of 25 months below that level. The rise was driven by increases in production, employment, new orders and supplier deliveries. But this was partially offset by a decline in order backlogs.
Miller said manufacturing plant construction has eased but remains historically strong, adding that trucking firms tied to traditional office construction have needed to shift their focus.
AlixPartners found in a report Feb. 25 that truckload spot rates have reached their highest levels since 2022. The global consulting firm noted rates were depressed over the prior 24 months, but that capacity leaving the market has become a critical driver behind recent improvements.
“Over the past several years, trucking companies have reduced fleet sizes, delayed new truck purchases or exited the market entirely,” the report noted. “These exits, while painful, have played a necessary role in rebalancing supply and demand. Beyond market-driven exits, regulatory changes are also contributing to reduced capacity.”
