The index assesses the national impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the U.S. trucking industry. Questions are answered below.
View the index at www.FTRintel.com/Coronavirus.
What is the Truck Freight Recovery Index?
A measure of trucking’s response and recovery due to the COVID-19 pandemic utilizing Truckstop.com’s load board spot market metrics.
100 = Full recovery to seasonally-adjusted pre-pandemic volume levels.
What is the methodology being used to generate the Truck Freight Recovery Index?
Compares daily spot market volumes to the average of that weekday for the last 5 years. It only shows weekdays due to limited volumes during weekends that could skew results. The index includes Dry Van, Refrigerated, and Flatbed volumes.
Data is indexed to February 2020. The index measures the changes in volumes compared to the historical 5-year pattern and adjusted by February 2020 results. The index accounts for normal seasonal fluctuations in spot market volumes.
An index level of 100 indicates that volumes have returned to pre-pandemic levels if normal seasonal patterns had occurred.
The index is available for the major Equipment Types (Dry Van/Refrigerated/Flatbed).
What do the ‘Phases’ mean?
Shutdown – The time during which the country was going into, and maintaining, strict containment policies due to COVID-19. The restocking impacts are seen early in this phase with a clear pattern of reduced volumes the longer that they were maintained.
Restart – Once volumes have recovered from the trough effect they will enter a restart phase as states and regions begin to ease restrictions on travel and commerce.
Full Recovery – As volumes approach 80% of Full Recovery levels (100) we consider this to be a strong enough indication that the market has rebounded that we are out of the restart phase.
What is the Index telling me?
The index will help you quickly identify when, and by how much, the overall market is reacting. The FTR/Truckstop.com Heatmap Dashboard can help you more clearly identify where those areas of change are occurring.
What is the definition of Dry Van?
An enclosed, rectangular, box trailer that carries general (dry) freight.
What is the definition of Refrigerated Van?
A refrigerated and insulated van used to transport temperature-sensitive freight.
What is the definition of Flatbed?
A flat-surfaced, open, trailer with no enclosure or doors.