The latest release of ACT’s For-Hire Trucking Index indicated that March’s volume reading soared to the highest level since March of 2014, to 71.1 points; this was twenty points above both the February and the twelve-month average readings. “Load demand continued to be fairly steady through the end of the month and quarter. We are holding our breath through the middle of April to see what happens as the new month and quarter gets under way, with the hope that load demand remains strong and we can begin to address the rate issue with the marketplace,” commented one fleet.

Similar to the volume reading, the pricing index hit close-to a three-year high of 64.8, the highest since May of 2014. This also marked the sixth consecutive month of positive price index readings. Echoing the volume index, fleet productivity jumped to 61.7 points in March, also the highest since March of 2014.

ACT is the leading publisher of new and used commercial vehicle (CV) industry data, market analysis and forecasting services for the North American market, as well as the U.S. tractor-trailer market and the China CV market. ACT’s CV services are used by all major North American truck and trailer manufacturers and their suppliers, as well as the banking and investment community in North America, Europe, and China.