The American Trucking Association (ATA) reported that its advance seasonally adjusted (SA) for-high truck tonnage index increased 0.3 percent in November after a 0.4 percent October gain. Compared with November 2010, SA tonnage was up 6 percent, the largest year-over-year gain since a 6.5 percent increase in June 2011. Year-to-date in November, tonnage is up 5.4 percent compared to the first eleven months of 2010.
The ATA's Chief Economist Bob Costello said November's gain was a positive sign and points "to an overall economy that is growing, not sliding into a recession." Tonnage is up 2.3 percent over the last three months and reached the highest level since January of this year in November.