Trucking resumes growth as 2010 fades

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If you noticed freight demand sputtering in the second half of last year, you can take a little encouragement from a report this week.

Freight improved in November and then surged in December – enough to offset the decline in August through October. That’s according to the Ceridian-UCLA Pulse of Commerce Index. The PCI measures the flow of goods to U.S. factories, retailers and consumers.

It rose 2.4 percent in December, pushing past the previous 2010 peak set in May. Combined with November’s 0.4 percent increase, that was sufficient to offset the three-month downturn.

December was also good for trucking employment. Transportation and warehousing jobs were up by 8,800 that month, 2,600 of those jobs in for-hire trucking, reports the American Trucking Associations. 2010 had its ups and downs, but trucking managed to add 18,800 people last year.

Now if only the rest of the nation’s employment could show similar growth.