Bloomington, IN (May 14, 2013) FTR Associates’ Shippers Conditions Index (SCI) for March eased from February’s level of -9.5 reading to a current reading of -7.3, indicating a slightly improved but still negative environment for shippers.

Bloomington, IN (May 10, 2013) FTR's Trucking Conditions Index (TCI) for March as reported in the May 2013 Trucking Update reflected improvement in an already favorable environment for trucking with an additional increase to a reading of 13.12. The TCI is designed to summarize a full collection of industry metrics, with a reading above zero indicating a generally positive environment for truckers. Readings above 10, as they are now, signal that volumes, prices, and margins are likely to be in a solidly favorable range for trucking companies.

Bloomington, IN (May 2, 2013) FTR Associates has released preliminary data showing April Class 8 truck net orders at 23,026, 6% above March numbers. Orders for Class 8 trucks have now been above 20,000 for five consecutive months with April orders 37% improved from a year ago. Even with the one month dip in March orders, the last three months annualize to 270,400 units. Preliminary order numbers are for all major North American OEMs.

Bloomington, IN (April 23 2013) FTR Associates’ Shippers Conditions Index (SCI) for February fell over two points following a similar decline in January. The current reading of -9.5 reflects an expectation for increasingly difficult conditions for shippers as 2013 progresses. The SCI is forecast to be choppy over the next few months with further deterioration occurring in the second half of the year.

Bloomington, IN (April 10, 2013) FTR’s Trucking Conditions Index (TCI) for February as reported in the April 2013 Trucking Update reflected an increasingly improving outlook for trucking with another month-over-month increase of 2+ points to a reading of 12.9. The upward movement of the index is a strong sign of positive momentum in the truck industry. The TCI is designed to summarize a full collection of industry metrics, with a reading above zero indicating a positive environment for truckers.

Bloomington, IN (April 9, 2013) FTR Associates takes their expertise on the road to bring an industry leading event to the city of Chicago on May 21-22, 2013. FTR will host its inaugural State of Freight Summit at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare in Rosemont, IL. The event will expand on the company’s highly successful webinar series and will provide a unique learning experience for those in the transportation industry.

Bloomington, IN (April 2, 2013) FTR Associates has released preliminary data showing March Class 8 truck net orders at 21,817 units, 4% below February. While March orders dipped somewhat from the previous month they were up 11% year over year and combined with January/February orders resulted in an annualized rate for the first three months of 2013 at 266,808 units. Preliminary order numbers are for all major North American OEMs.

Bloomington, IN (March 20, 2013) FTR Associates’ Shippers Conditions Index (SCI) for January slipped an additional two points falling to a reading of negative 7.1, reflecting deteriorating conditions for shippers in the early months of 2013.  The SCI is forecast to continue to move downward as the year progresses and is expected to reach negative double digit levels by year-end, indicating very difficult conditions for shippers...

Bloomington, IN (March 13, 2013) FTR’s Trucking Conditions Index (TCI) for January as reported in the March 2013 Trucking Update jumped 2.2 points from the previous month to a new reading of 10.6. The upward trend in the TCI reflects improved freight growth and expectation for tighter capacity and is forecast to continue at a high level as unprecedented regulations affecting trucking utilization go into effect starting in mid-2013. Conditions through 2014 will remain in strongly positive territory with trucking companies’ ability to raise rates in a tight capacity environment a likely scenario.

The Trucking Conditions Index is a compilation of factors affecting trucking companies. Any reading above zero indicates a positive environment for truckers. Readings above 10 signal that volumes, prices, and margins are likely to be in a solidly favorable range for trucking companies.

A recent uptick in freight volume likely will continue as most fundamental drivers look positive, says the head of a leading transportation forecasting firm. One thing that doesn’t look so strong despite considerable attention is the near-term adoption of natural gas as an alternative to diesel, says Eric Starks, president of FTR Associates.

Speaking to attendees at Heavy Duty Dialogue 2013 in Nashville, Tenn., Starks said that freight was steady throughout 2012 but picked up in November and December. “It looked like raw fundamental growth that can’t be explained just by Hurricane Sandy,” Starks said. “We’re starting to get cautiously optimistic about where things are going.”

Bloomington, IN (March 5, 2013) FTR Associates has released preliminary data showing February Class 8 truck net orders at 23,011, a 4% increase over both January and the prior year. Orders for Class 8 vehicles have been consistently above the 20,000 mark since October 2012 with an annualized rate of 263,600 units over the last three months.  Preliminary order numbers are for all major North American OEMs.

FTR President Eric Starks was interviewed by Big Truck TV about the current state of the equipment market (February, 2013) .
This six minute interview answers the following questions: What is the current state of the nation’s fleet?
Are the right economic ingredients in place for truck purchasing, so fleets can meet the market demand?
Commercial vehicles with less than 600K miles are in short supply, so what does this mean for demand as manufacturers announce potential cuts?

Bloomington, IN (February 13, 2013) FTR Associates’ Shippers Conditions Index (SCI) for December came in with a reading of -4.9 reflecting tightening capacity which is expected to get significantly worse by mid-2013. Transport costs will continue to rise as freight continues to grow and new federal regulations reducing trucking capacity kick in, with the SCI reading expected to be about five points lower than the current reading by mid-summer. The Shippers Conditions Index is a compilation of factors affecting shippers transport environment. Any reading below zero indicates a tough environment for shippers. Readings below 10 signal that conditions for shippers will be near critical levels, based on available capacity and expected rates. Details of the factors affecting the December Shippers Conditions Index are found in the February issue of FTR’s Shippers Update published February 8.

Bloomington, IN (February 8, 2013) FTR’s Trucking Conditions Index (TCI) for December as reported in the February 2013Trucking Update came in with a reading of 8.38 reflective of the current good environment for truckers. By mid-2013 the TCI is expected to rise significantly, caused by market tightness from expected regulatory changes and steady freight growth. The Trucking Conditions Index is a compilation of factors affecting trucking companies. Any reading above zero indicates a positive environment for truckers. Readings above 10 signal that volumes, prices, and margins are likely to be in a solidly favorable range for trucking companies.

Bloomberg (Feb 6, 2013) --
Robert Boyd quit his job as a bank assistant branch manager to start truck-driving school in September. He graduated in December and landed work behind the wheel of a rig at twice the pay.
Analysts project more gains as the economy expands and truckers face new limits on hours of service. The industry is more than 125,000 drivers short of what it needs to meet demand, according to FTR Associates, the Bloomington, Indiana-based freight data and forecasting firm. The shortfall probably will more than double at the end of this year to 259,000 drivers, the biggest deficit in nine years, according to an FTR forecast.

BLOOMINGTON, IN --
FTR Associates has released preliminary data showing January Class 8 truck net orders at 22,235, 7% higher than December but down 11% year over year. Orders for Class 8 vehicles have been above the 20,000 mark for the past four months, showing some strength after a soft period mid-year 2012. Preliminary order numbers are for all major North American OEMs.