Freight tonnage moved by US for-hire carriers edged down 0.1 percent in May 2026, according to the American Trucking Associations advanced seasonally adjusted For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index. The reading followed a 0.5 percent gain in April and pointed to a freight market that remained choppy through late spring.

The advanced seasonally adjusted index registered 113.8 in May, down slightly from 113.9 in April. On a year-over-year basis, the index fell 1.3 percent, the first annual decline recorded in 2026. Year to date, tonnage was up 0.1 percent compared with the same period a year earlier.

The not seasonally adjusted index, which reflects actual freight hauled before adjustment, stood at 116.2 in May, 2.9 percent above April's reading of 112.9. The gap between the two measures reflects normal seasonal patterns in shipping volumes.

ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello said the seesaw freight demand pattern continued in May, with construction activity soft, manufacturing moving up and down, and consumers staying cautious. The tonnage index is closely watched because trucking carries the majority of domestic freight by weight, making the measure a useful gauge of overall goods movement across the US economy.

Source: American Trucking Associations - https://www.trucking.org/news-insights/ata-truck-tonnage-index-declined-01-may