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Freight

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1541
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May 2020 Freight Index (TSI) Up 1.6% in Largest One-Month Rise in Two Years

The Freight Transportation Services Index (TSI), which is based on the amount of freight carried by the for-hire transportation industry, rose 1.6% in May from April, rising after a three-month decline, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics’ (BTS). From May 2019 to May 2020, the index fell 8.5% compared to a rise of 2.1% from May 2018 to May 2019 and a rise of 8.4% from May 2017 to May 2018 (Tables 1, 2, and 2A).

April 2020 North American Transborder Freight Numbers

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

  • Total Transborder freight: $58.1 billion of transborder freight moved by all modes of transportation, down 44.4% compared to April 2019. The $58.1 in total Transborder freight was the lowest amount since May 2009.
  • Most-used mode: Trucks moved $38.5 billion of freight, down 40.8% compared to April 2019.
  • Second most-used mode: Railways moved $6.0 billion of freight, down 61.9% compared to April 2019.
  • Transborder freight value in April was down 41.2% from March.

April 2020 U.S. Airlines Cargo (Preliminary): International Shipments Down 15%

U.S. airlines carried 1.3% less cargo by weight in April 2020 than in April 2019 with a 15% decline in international cargo, according to preliminary data filed with the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) by 15 of the leading cargo airlines.

 

The 15 airlines carry more than 95% 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.

Reduction in April 2020 Freight Movement Largest since 2009 Recession

The Freight Transportation Services Index (TSI), which is based on the amount of freight carried by the for-hire transportation industry, fell 7.7% in April from March, falling for the third consecutive month, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics’ (BTS). From April 2019 to April 2020, the index fell 10.0% compared to a rise of 2.7% from April 2018 to April 2019 and a rise of 8.0% from April 2017 to April 2018 (Tables 1, 2, and 2A).

Air Cargo Down 15% Between the U.S. and Foreign Points, March 2020 (Preliminary)

U.S. and foreign airlines carried 15.2% less cargo by weight between the U.S. and foreign points in March 2020 than in March 2019, according to data filed with the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) by large air carriers.

 

March 2020 cargo numbers to and from the U.S. by world geographic areas (by weight):

  • Total to and from the U.S.: 403 thousand tons, down 15.2% from March 2019 (475T tons)
  • Europe: 102 thousand tons, down 25.0% from March 2019 (135T tons)
  • Latin America: 46 thousand tons, down 29.2% from March 2019 (65T tons)
  • Asia (including China): 229 thousand tons, down 6.4% from March 2019 (245T tons)
  • China: 66 thousand tons, up 2.0% from March 2019 (66T tons)
  • Canada: 9 thousand tons, down 8.1% from March 2019 (10T tons)