Freight TSI is up slightly from July to August, says BTS

The Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) reported today that its Freight Transportation Services Index (TSI) was up 0.4 percent from July to August.

This follows flat growth from June to July, a 2.6 percent gain from May to June, and a 1.8 percent decline from April to May.

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.

The BTS said that the August Freight TSI at 108.7 represents its highest level since July 2008, when it reached 109.9 and was followed by six straight months of decline. And it added that freight shipments have seen gains in 19 of the last 28 months since its recent low water mark of 94.3 in April 2009.

August’s108.7 reading is up 15.7 from the recent low of 94.3 in April 2009, which was preceded by a previous low of June 1997’s 92.3. August is 4.1 percent below the historic freight shipment peak of 113.3 in January 2005.

On an annual basis, August is up 4.6 percent up 10.3 percent compared to August 2009. Both months are below the highest August level ever, which hit 111.4 in August 2005.

On a year-to-date basis, freight shipments measured by the Freight TSI are up 1.6 percent through August.