Freight movement and truck tonnage increased during March

The Cass Freight Index - a leading provider of transportation expense management services - recently announced that freight movements increased substantially at nearly 7 percent in March, Trucking Info reports.

Officials told the news source that overall volume was up in March, including truck tonnage, which continues to grow. They added that capacity on the freight hauling industry is beginning to tighten in many markets, but compared to last year, shipments were up approximately 14 percent.

The freight industry is beginning to strengthen as the economy continues to recover. Experts say that most economic indicators are trending upward. This gives carriers room to start raising rates to help offset the rising cost of fuel. They suggest that these increases will also impact the number of trucks and drivers by the end of the year.

Individuals who wish to break into the industry may wish to enroll in online CDL training as a way to make themselves more attractive to employers. These courses teach state and federal mandated guidelines to drivers.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment opportunities for heavy truck and tractor-trailer drivers are expected to increase by 13 percent over the next seven years.

By Anna Byrne 

Freight movement and truck tonnage increased during March

Monday, April 11th, 2011