Tonnage and Energy

During a recent presentation on economic and motor carrier industry trends, Bob Costello, Chief Economist and Vice President of the American Trucking Associations, made the timely point that the U.S. energy production boom is boosting truck tonnage, even against the headwinds of tepid manufacturing and cautious consumers.  

According to the ATA, there was a 5.2 percent year-over-year increase in tonnage from January through September, 2013, but only a .6 percent increase in TL loads - a minimal increase largely carried by tank shipments, which grew 6 percent year over year for Jan-Sept. and 4.6 percent year over year for Q3.

These shipments, including water, sand, and chemicals for fracking, represented a welcome boon in an otherwise challenging year for trucking. Rail tonnage was also propped up last year by oil shipments while coal continued to decline. 

The growth of domestic oil and natural gas energy is offsetting declines in other segments in our economy, creating jobs and providing a valuable use of both trucking and rail assets (equipment and professionals) as manufacturing and retail continue to recover. Additionally, these domestic energy resources will help provide cleaner and less expensive energy alternatives for our industry. A comprehensive national energy policy—and approval of the Keystone pipeline—could shift this into high gear.