The amount of freight carried by the for-hire transportation industry rose 1.2 percent in January from December, rising for the third consecutive month, according to the US Department of Transportation's Bureau of Transportation Statistics' (BTS) Freight Transportation Services Index (TSI) released Wednesday. The January 2013 index level was 18 percent above the April 2009 low during the recession and the highest level since December 2011.
The Freight TSI increased in January 2013, its third consecutive month of growth with trucking showing a large increase. January 2013 shipments were up 1.3 percent from January 2012, but rose 14.6 percent from January 2009 during the recession.