The American Trucking Associations' seasonally adjusted For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index jumped 2.6% in February 2026, pushing freight volumes to their highest level in three years. The gain followed a 0.7% increase in January, marking back-to-back growth that signals a strengthening recovery in US truckload demand.

Year-over-year, the February index was up 2.1% compared to February 2025. That marks the largest year-over-year gain since October 2022 and suggests the freight market is gaining momentum heading into the spring shipping season.

Through the first four months of 2026, tonnage was up 2.6% compared to the same period in 2025. April's reading held steady at 117.8, returning to levels last seen in fall 2022. The consistency of these gains signals that the prolonged freight recession that weighed on volumes through 2023 and 2024 is giving way to a more durable recovery cycle.

For fleet operators and logistics professionals, rising tonnage figures translate to stronger rate environments, higher utilization, and tightening capacity. Carriers that can demonstrate service reliability and documented safety practices are best positioned to capture the volume growth as spot and contract markets both firm up.

Understanding these freight trends helps fleets communicate their value to shippers. Knowing where the market stands is the foundation of every effective fleet content and training strategy.

Source: American Trucking Associations -- https://www.trucking.org/news-insights/ata-truck-tonnage-index-surged-26-february