May 07, 2008
Truck Tonnage Fell More Than 3% in March
ARLINGTON, VA – Truck tonnage dropped 3.3 percent last month to its lowest level since
November 2007, according to the American Trucking Associations (ATA). ATA Chief
Economist Bob Costello said the latest tonnage reading was “a significant
setback,” according to Modern Tire Dealer
Magazine.
Costello
continues to forecast a mild recession for the overall economy during the first
half of 2008, but notes that March’s tonnage drop might suggest the economic
contraction could be more severe than previously thought.
“Truck
tonnage often leads both recoveries and recessions, and the latest contraction
suggests the economy and trucking are not out of the woods yet,” he said as
quoted in Modern Tire Dealer Magazine.