advertisement

---

In April, the Transportation Services Index (TSI) clocked in at 111.7, up 0.4 percent compared with March’s index and 2.3 percent compared with April 2011’s tally, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS).

After tumbling in March, the Freight TSI rose 0.2 percent on a month-over-month basis to 109.6. The measure of the output of for-hire rail, trucking, inland waterway, pipeline and air freight companies also increased 2 percent on a year-over-year basis.

Freight shipments in April reached the fourth-highest level since the early recession month of July 2008. But the Freight TSI has shown little change since dropping in January from December's peak, BTS officials said in a prepared statement, adding that the index’s recent plateauing reflects slowing economic growth.

Meanwhile, the Passenger TSI in April reached 117.6, up 0.8 percent from March’s level and 2.9 percent from April 2011’s mark. The index measures month-to-month changes in travel conducted by for-hire air, local transit and intercity rail providers.

For more BTS data on the three indices as of April 30, follow this link.