The latest logistics numbers show signs of economic strength, according to a summary courtesy of the Georgia Center of Innovation for Logistics.
Transportation:
The Dow Jones Transportation index was up 6.9% during the month of October and the NASDAQ Transportation Index was up 2.3% for the same period. The USDOT's freight transportation services index increased 0.9% in September 2011 from the previous month. The index’s reading of 109.6 was the highest reading since July 2008. The index is up 4.4% year-over-year.
In September, the U.S. exported more than $180.4 billion of cargo (the highest on record). September U.S.
exports have increased 1.4% in terms of value over the previous month and grew 15.9% year-over-year. Also in September, the U.S. imported about $223.5 billion of cargo. September U.S. imports have increased 0.3% in terms of value over the previous month and grew 11.9% year-over-year.
(Source: US Census)
Truck:
Over-the-Road Trucked Shipments rose 1.1% in October following a 1% decline in September. Overall
trucked shipments increased 1.3% on a year-over-year basis. (Source: Ceridianindex.com)
The ATA’s seasonally adjusted cargo index rose 1.6% in September after falling a revised 0.5% in August. The
for-hire truck tonnage index rose 5.9% year-over-year in September, following a 5.2% increase in August.
(Source: American Trucking Association | Trucking.org)
The spot market for truckload freight in October remained stable compared to the previous month, and was
36% higher year-over-year. Truck capacity rose 5.5% for the month, but was down 1.2% from October 2010.
(Source: TransCore Freight Index | www.transcorefreightsolutions.com)
Rail:
Railroad bulk carload freight in October 2011 increased 0.5% over September 2011. Freight traffic in
October also increased 1.7% over October 2010, and was up 10.4% over October 2009. (Source: AAR.org)
(Report includes rail car-loadings by 19 different major commodity categories as well as intermodal units)
Intermodal rail traffic in October 2011 was 3.6% higher than October 2010, and 0.8% higher than September
2011 totals. Intermodal loadings have experienced year-over-year gains for 23 straight months.
(Source: AAR.org) (Report includes rail car-loadings by 19 different major commodity categories as well as intermodal units)
Air:
Global air freight in September fell 3% from one year ago and was down 1% over the previous month. North
American air freight in September remained stable year-over-year. (Source: IATA.org)
Ocean:
Import shipment volume, in TEUs, at U.S. ports increased 0.33% in October from the previous month and
decreased 1% from the previous year. The total number of inbound shipments in October rose 1% from September and increased 1% from October 2010. (Source: Zepol Corporation | zepol.com)
Intermodal:
Domestic intermodal traffic grew 6.3% in the 3Q 2011, and combined international and domestic rail volume topped 3.65 million intermodal units in the 3Q, the 7th straight quarter of year-over-year increases.
Employment:
Transportation employment increased more than 2% year-over-year in October, with rail employment up 3.8% and trucking up 2.9%. Transportation industries added about 16,500 employees in October, accounting for nearly 21% of the U.S. net employment gains added last month.
Real Estate:
The commercial real estate firm Grubb & Ellis expects the U.S. industrial real estate market to return to prerecession levels by the end of the year. Colliers International reports that Atlanta’s industrial real estate market is on track to finish the year with its largest occupancy gain since 2007. Industrial absorption topped 4 million square feet in the third quarter; the highest quarterly amount in 4.5 years.
