BTS sees increase in Freight TSI

The Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) reported this week that its Freight Transportation Services Index (TSI) increased 1.3 percent from March to April, following two months of decreases. 

According to BTS officials, the Freight TSI measures the month-to-month changes in freight shipments in ton-miles, which are then combined into one index. The index measures the output of the for-hire freight transportation industry and consists of data from for-hire trucking, rail, inland waterways, pipelines and air freight.

April’s Freight TSI at 121.1 was 2.0 percent below the all-time high of 123.6 from December 2014 and is 27.9 percent above the recent low of 94.7 recorded in April 2009.

BTS said April’s increase was due to growth in trucking and pipeline as all other modes it tracks were down. And it added that the Freight TSI was in line with recent gains in housing and industrial production.

And it added that the 1.3 percent increase from March to April represents the largest increase since March 2014, even though it is lower than ten of the 12 months of 2015.