The for-hire trucking industry added 5,300 jobs on a seasonally adjusted basis in January 2012 while payroll employment in the entire U.S. economy surged by 243,000 civilian nonfarm jobs, according to preliminary numbers released Feb. 3, by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The U.S. unemployment rate dropped to 8.3%. Payroll employment in for-hire trucking is up by 51,500, or 4%, from January 2011. Employment is up by 89,100, or 7.2%, from the bottom in March 2010, but it remains 130,100, or 9%, from the peak in January 2007.
The latest report from BLS includes the annual benchmark revision in the size of the U.S. workforce, adding 162,000 jobs to the number estimated in March 2011. For for-hire trucking, this meant that the revised BLS figure for payroll employment in December was 1.318 million jobs — 22,000 more than what BLS had initially reported for December. The January figure is approximately 1.323 million.
The BLS numbers for trucking reflect all payroll employment in for-hire trucking, but they don’t include trucking-related jobs in other industries, such as a truck driver for a private fleet. Nor do the numbers reflect the total amount of hiring since they only include new jobs, not replacements for existing positions.
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Recent Indicators
Trucking Conditions Index
Trucking Conditions Index higher
February 1, 2012
Trucking Conditions Index outlook updated due to HOS
January 9, 2012
Trucking Conditions Index up in November, improvement coming in 2012
December 30, 2011
Trucking Conditions Index slumped in October, headed back up
December 1, 2011
Trucking Conditions Index jumped September, more gains expected
October 31, 2011
Truck Loadings Outlook
Truck loadings surge in December
January 24, 2012
Truck loadings ticked up in November, outlook up for 2012
December 22, 2011
Truck loadings jump in October, outlook unchanged
November 22, 2011
Truck outlook still stronger than overall economy
October 20, 2011
Truck loadings continue to inch up in August
September 22, 2011
Loadings By Segment
Bulk/Dump loadings were huge in December
January 27, 2012
Tank loadings weakened in Q4
January 27, 2012
Flatbed up modestly in December
January 27, 2012
Dry Van loadings jumped in December
January 26, 2012
Refrigerated loadings end 2011 with big gain
January 26, 2012
Loadings By Commodity
Auto loadings up in December
February 7, 2012
Chemical loadings higher
February 7, 2012
Construction ends 2011 badly
February 6, 2012
Bulk aggregates loadings surge in December
February 6, 2012
Food loadings up 0.7% in December
February 6, 2012
Trucking Conditions Index
Trucking Conditions Index higher
February 1, 2012
Trucking Conditions Index outlook updated due to HOS
January 9, 2012
Trucking Conditions Index up in November, improvement coming in 2012
December 30, 2011
Trucking Conditions Index slumped in October, headed back up
December 1, 2011
Trucking Conditions Index jumped September, more gains expected
October 31, 2011
Truckload Rates Outlook
Truckload rates growth falls below 5%
February 14, 2012
TL rates growing above 5%, outlook lower
January 9, 2012
Truckload rates showing consistency as 2011 end
December 28, 2011
Truckload rates strong going into the fall peak
September 28, 2011
Truckload rates accelerated in Q2
August 31, 2011
Rates By Segment
Truckload rates growth falls below 5%
February 14, 2012
Diesel price jumps 8.7 cents
February 13, 2012
Diesel prices edge slightly higher
February 6, 2012
Trucking Conditions Index higher
February 1, 2012
Diesel prices nearly flat for the week
January 30, 2012
Truckload Costs Outlook
Carriers’ margins will continue to grow despite headwinds
November 11, 2011
Carrier costs outlook unchanged, but there is uncertainty
November 11, 2011
Carriers fuel costs high, but easing
October 6, 2011
Carrier costs outlook helped by fuel declines
October 5, 2011
Carriers’ labor costs set for strong gains
September 8, 2011
Diesel Outlook
Diesel price outlook rises
January 23, 2012
Diesel price outlook inches up despite recent declines
December 23, 2011
Diesel price forecast up, highlights volatility
November 22, 2011
Diesel price outlook up slightly
October 19, 2011
Diesel prices still trending down, stable in 2012
September 21, 2011
Weekly On-Highway Diesel Price
Diesel price jumps 8.7 cents
February 13, 2012
Diesel prices edge slightly higher
February 6, 2012
Diesel prices nearly flat for the week
January 30, 2012
Average diesel price dips slightly to $3.848
January 23, 2012
Diesel prices rise 2.6 cents to $3.854
January 17, 2012
Trucking Conditions Index
Trucking Conditions Index higher
February 1, 2012
Trucking Conditions Index outlook updated due to HOS
January 9, 2012
Trucking Conditions Index up in November, improvement coming in 2012
December 30, 2011
Trucking Conditions Index slumped in October, headed back up
December 1, 2011
Trucking Conditions Index jumped September, more gains expected
October 31, 2011
Truck Utilization Outlook
Truck utilization stable in December
January 30, 2012
Truck capacity above 95%, 2012 outlook eases
January 9, 2012
Truck capacity still above 95%, HOS timing eases 2012 outlook
December 23, 2011
Truck capacity is tight, delay in HOS has reduced 2012 outlook
December 1, 2011
Truck capacity is tight, HOS is uncertain
October 27, 2011
New Truck Order Activity
Truck orders bounce back
January 23, 2012
Preliminary truck orders rebound in December
January 5, 2012
Truck orders unexpectedly drop in November
December 20, 2011
Preliminary truck orders drop in November
December 5, 2011
Truck orders up again in October
November 21, 2011
Trucking Failures
Avondale: Fleet failures up slightly
February 2, 2012
Avondale reports record low fleet failures in 2011Q3
November 1, 2011
Avondale reports only 240 fleets failed in 2011Q2
July 29, 2011
Avondale reports only 295 fleets failed in 2011Q1
May 16, 2011
Avondale reports that 380 fleets failed in 2010Q4
February 15, 2011
Truck Transportation Payroll Employment
Trucking adds jobs in January
February 3, 2012
Trucking employment up 3.2% in 2011
January 6, 2012
U.S., trucking jobs up in November
December 2, 2011
U.S. employment unchanged in August
September 2, 2011
Trucking companies add jobs in July
August 5, 2011
Trucking Conditions Index
Trucking Conditions Index higher
February 1, 2012
Trucking Conditions Index outlook updated due to HOS
January 9, 2012
Trucking Conditions Index up in November, improvement coming in 2012
December 30, 2011
Trucking Conditions Index slumped in October, headed back up
December 1, 2011
Trucking Conditions Index jumped September, more gains expected
October 31, 2011
GDP Outlook
GDP forecast is modest, optimism is creeping in
February 15, 2012
GDP outlook relatively unchanged
January 19, 2012
GDP outlook unchanged, risks have lessened
December 20, 2011
GDP risks have been reduced, outlook is still weak
November 21, 2011
Little change to GDP outlook
October 17, 2011
Industrial Production Outlook
Industrial sector going strong
January 23, 2012
Manufacturing outlook still strong for 2012
December 20, 2011
Manufacturing outlook improves for 2012
November 22, 2011
FTR’s manufacturing outlook is robust
October 19, 2011
Industrial sector is strong in August, risks remain
September 21, 2011
Diesel Outlook
Diesel price outlook rises
January 23, 2012
Diesel price outlook inches up despite recent declines
December 23, 2011
Diesel price forecast up, highlights volatility
November 22, 2011
Diesel price outlook up slightly
October 19, 2011
Diesel prices still trending down, stable in 2012
September 21, 2011
Housing Starts
Housing starts, permits soar in November
December 20, 2011
Housing permits rise sharply in October
November 17, 2011
Housing starts surge in September
October 24, 2011
Housing permits up, starts down
September 20, 2011
Home construction slumps in July
August 17, 2011
Business Inventories-to-Sales
Inventories-to-sales ratio holds steady
January 12, 2012
Inventories relative to sales are lean and steady
December 13, 2011
Inventories grow leaner relative to sales
November 17, 2011
Inventories-to-sales ratio holds steady in August
October 14, 2011
Inventories leaner relative to sales in July
September 15, 2011
Manufacturing Orders
Durable goods orders jump 3%
January 26, 2012
Factory orders up in November
January 4, 2012
Factory orders dip on weak aircraft sales
December 5, 2011
Factory orders up, but durables down in September
November 3, 2011
Factory orders up 2.4% in July
August 31, 2011
Retail Sales
Retail sales rise in January
February 14, 2012
Retail sales up 7.7% in 2011
January 12, 2012
Retail sales higher in July
August 12, 2011
ISM Manufacturing Index
ISM: Manufacturing stronger
February 1, 2012
Manufacturing index rises in December
January 3, 2012
Manufacturing indexes post strong growth in November
December 1, 2011
Key manufacturing index improves in September
October 3, 2011
Manufacturing sector holds fairly steady in August
September 1, 2011
Driver Labor Index
FTR Driver Labor Index rises
February 7, 2012
FTR Driver Labor Index down 0.1% in December
January 11, 2012
FTR Driver Labor Index dropped in November
December 5, 2011
FTR Driver Labor Index continued to grow in October
November 9, 2011
FTR Driver Labor Index up again in September
October 7, 2011
Driver Shortage Outlook
Driver shortage above 200,000
February 10, 2012
Driver shortage higher than first thought
January 11, 2012
Driver shortage grew in Q3; outlook has a major unkown
November 11, 2011
Driver shortage is here to stay
October 10, 2011
Driver shortage just under 100,000 in Q2
August 31, 2011
Truck Labor Costs
Carriers’ labor costs set for strong gains
September 8, 2011
Carriers’ labor costs set for strong gains next three years
June 9, 2011
Carriers’ labor costs rose during 2010 after a flat 2009
March 17, 2011
Truck Transportation Payroll Employment
Trucking adds jobs in January
February 3, 2012
Trucking employment up 3.2% in 2011
January 6, 2012
U.S., trucking jobs up in November
December 2, 2011
U.S. employment unchanged in August
September 2, 2011
Trucking companies add jobs in July
August 5, 2011
New Truck Order Activity
Truck orders bounce back
January 23, 2012
Preliminary truck orders rebound in December
January 5, 2012
Truck orders unexpectedly drop in November
December 20, 2011
Preliminary truck orders drop in November
December 5, 2011
Truck orders up again in October
November 21, 2011
New Truck Lead Time
New truck lead time edges above 5 months
January 23, 2012
New truck lead time remained below 5 months in November