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Freight

Legacy ID
1541
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Annual Rise in U.S. Airlines July Cargo (13%) Largest Increase in a Decade

U.S. airlines carried almost 13% more cargo by weight in July 2020 (preliminary) than in July 2019, the largest annual increase since 2010. The rise was fueled by a gain of almost 16% in domestic cargo while the 4.5% rise in international cargo was the first annual gain since March 2019, according to data filed with the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) by 15 of the leading cargo airlines.

 

The 15 airlines carry 97% of the total cargo by weight on U.S. airlines. Cargo data consists of freight and mail carried within the U.S. and between the U.S. and foreign points.

June 2020 North American Transborder Freight Up 46% from May 2020

Transborder freight between the U.S. and other North American countries (Canada and Mexico) in June 2020:

  • Total Transborder freight: $82.1 billion of transborder freight moved by all modes of transportation, up 46.3% compared to May 2020 and up 41.2% from April 2020.
  • Transborder freight value in June was down 20.9% compared to June 2019.
  • Most-used mode: Trucks moved $56.5 billion of freight, up 44.2% compared to May 2020, down 13.9% compared to June 2019.
  • Second most-used mode: Railways moved $11.2 billion of freight, up 105% compared to May 2020, down 28.9% compared to June 2019.

Air Cargo Down 5% Between the U.S. and Foreign Points, June 2020 (Preliminary)

U.S. and foreign airlines carried 5% less cargo by weight between the U.S. and foreign points in June 2020 than in June 2019, despite a rise of almost 11% in cargo between the U.S. and Asia, according to data filed with the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) by large air carriers. June’s decline was smaller than year-over-year decreases in March (down 17%), April (down 16%) and May (down 14%).

Annual Rise in U.S. Airlines June Cargo (Over 9%) Largest Increase Since January 2018

U.S. airlines carried 9.4% more cargo by weight in June 2020 than in June 2019, the largest annual gain since January 2018 fueled by a gain of almost 14% in domestic cargo. A 3.6% decline in international cargo was the smallest annual loss since November 2019, according to preliminary data filed with the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) by 13 of the leading cargo airlines.

 

The 13 airlines carry more than 90% of the total cargo by weight on U.S. airlines. Cargo data consists of freight and mail carried within the U.S. and between the U.S. and foreign points.

June 2020 Freight Transportation Services Index (TSI)

The Freight Transportation Services Index (TSI), which is based on the amount of freight carried by the for-hire transportation industry, rose 0.9% in June from May, rising for the second consecutive month, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics’ (BTS). From June 2019 to June 2020, the index fell 7.6% compared to a rise of 1.2% from June 2018 to June 2019 and a rise of 8.7% from June 2017 to June 2018 (Tables 1, 2, and 2A).