Truck Tonnage Surges 2.6% in February — Highest in 3 Years

The ATA Truck Tonnage Index hit its highest point in three years. The freight market recovery is gaining momentum.

Truck Tonnage Surges 2.6% in February — Highest in 3 Years

Great news for truckers! 📈 The American Trucking Associations (ATA) Truck Tonnage Index surged 2.6% in February, hitting its highest point in three years.

The Key Numbers

  • 📈 Index: 116.2 (up from 113.3 in January)
  • 📈 +2.1% vs February 2025 — the largest year-over-year gain since October 2022
  • 📈 First two months of 2026: +1.4% vs same period last year
  • 📈 In 2025, tonnage was flat — now it’s finally growing

What Does It Mean?

ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello said "February’s robust gain is great to see, but the size of the gain is likely magnified due to lower industry capacity." After the longest freight recession in history, any improvement in volumes is welcomed.

The Bigger Picture

The US trucking industry represents 72.7% of total domestic freight tonnage and generated $906 billion in revenue in 2024. It’s literally the pulse of the economy.

Combined with rising spot rates and reduced capacity from the non-domiciled CDL rule, the outlook for owner-operators is looking more favorable than it has in years.

💪 El Truck Saver says: More freight = more miles = more wear. Now’s the perfect time to check your alignment and make sure your truck is running at peak efficiency. A check on the Truck Dancer™ road simulator can catch problems before they cost you money.

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