The US Department of Transportation's Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) reported that the amount of freight carried by the for-hire transportation industry was unchanged in May from April, after a one-month rise. May 2012 freight shipments rose 4.3 percent from May 2011 and 16 percent from May 2009, during the recession, but remain below the level in May 2008, prior to the recession.
Freight shipments are up 1 percent in the five years from the pre-recession level of May 2007 and up 8.9 percent in the 10 years from May 2002 despite declines in recent years.