ATA Truck Tonnage Falls 1% as Freight Recovery Stays Capacity-Driven

U.S. for-hire truck tonnage declined 1% in July after a revised 1.5% increase in June, signaling that the freight recovery remains uneven. Commercial Carrier Journal reported the figures August 20 and updated its coverage August 21. The underlying data comes from the American Trucking Associations' advanced seasonally adjusted For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index.

The July index registered 113.5, down from 114.7 in June, with 2015 defined as 100. Tonnage was also 0.5% below July 2025, reversing June's 1.2% year-over-year gain. Even with the monthly decline, activity for the first seven months of 2026 remained 1.4% above the same period last year because of stronger increases from February through April.

ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello described freight volumes as choppy and said much of the industry's recovery reflects excess capacity leaving the market rather than broad demand growth. Data-center construction is one pocket of strength, while other freight drivers remain lackluster. The not-seasonally adjusted index, which measures the raw tonnage hauled, fell 0.9% from June to 117.

Fleets should read the report as a contract-freight indicator, not a direct forecast for every lane or equipment type. The ATA index is dominated by contract freight, is based on member surveys and remains preliminary until the final monthly release. Carriers can compare their loaded miles, revenue per truck, tender acceptance, empty miles and customer mix with the national direction. Owner-operators should avoid assuming higher spot rates automatically mean stronger shipment volume; tighter capacity can lift pricing even when freight is soft. July's decline supports careful budgeting, lane-level analysis and disciplined equipment commitments rather than a broad expansion based on one market signal.