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The Transportation Services Index (TSI) in March totaled 110.7, a 1 percent drop from February's level and the index's second consecutive month-over-month decline, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation's Bureau of Transportation Statistics.

However, the TSI rose 0.2 percent compared with March 2007's index. In addition, the measure of month-to-month changes in the output of services provided by for-hire freight and passenger transportation industries inched up 0.2 percent in the first quarter — the fifth-straight year the index has increased in the first quarter.

Meanwhile, the Freight TSI also tumbled in March. A measure of the month-to-month changes in the output of services provided by for-hire rail, trucking, inland waterways, pipelines and air freight companies, the index totaling 109.4 declined 1.9 percent compared with February's level — the largest monthly drop since August 2006. The Freight TSI also decreased 0.4 percent on a year-over-year basis. But during the first quarter, the index rose 0.5 percent vs. first-quarter 2007's total.

The Passenger TSI of 116.2 in March increased 1.8 percent from February's level, posting a gain after two consecutive monthly declines. A measure of the month-to-month changes in the output of services provided by for-hire air, local transit and intercity rail providers, the index also rose 1.8 percent compared with March 2007's total. However, the Passenger TSI fell 0.8 percent in the first quarter, marking the second-straight quarterly decline and first time since 2003 the index didn't post a first-quarter gain.