Nashville, IN (January 11, 2012) FTR Associates’ Shippers Conditions Index (SCI) for November dropped 2.5 points from the previous month to a reading of -6.1 reflecting seasonal tightening of shipping capacity. The SCI sums up all market influences that affect shippers; a reading above zero suggests a favorable shipping environment, while a reading below zero is unfavorable.

Nashville, IN (January 5, 2012) FTR Associates has released preliminary data showing December Class 8 truck total net orders for all major North American OEM’s reaching the second highest level in three years at 29,777 units. December orders were up 46% month over month, with a year-over-year increase from December 2011 of 11%, and reversed the decline of disappointing November order activity. Class 8 orders for the final three months of 2011 annualize to 312,000 units.

Nashville, IN (January 3, 2012) FTR’s Trucking Conditions Index, as reported in the January 2012 Trucking Update, increased by slightly less than two points from the previous month to a reading of 5.2 in November. The TCI has now been in positive territory for over a year. The environment for truckers remains modestly favorable with decent growth, capacity and pricing conditions.