FTR’s Trucking Conditions Index notably improved in November to 2.14 from the October 0.89 reading. Stronger freight rates and capacity utilization were the most significant factors in more favorable market conditions for carriers. The outlook for the TCI is consistently positive over the forecast period.

Avery Vise, FTR’s vice president of trucking, commented, “The latest available data indicates a substantial reduction of trucking capacity over the past year – a conclusion supported by stronger spot market rates than trend over the past month or so. It’s quite possible that capacity has bottomed out, so the attention now is squarely on freight demand, which still looks sluggish with both upside and downside potential. Trucking companies cannot get to sustained margin recovery on capacity reductions alone.”

Details of the November TCI are found in the January issue of FTR’s Trucking Update, published December 23. The January issue includes a discussion of the current capacity situation and the factors that could affect it in 2026. The Trucking Update includes data and analysis on load volumes, the capacity environment, rates, and the economy.

The TCI tracks the changes representing five major conditions in the U.S. truck market. These conditions are: freight volumes, freight rates, fleet capacity, fuel prices, and financing costs. The individual metrics are combined into a single index indicating the industry’s overall health. A positive score represents good, optimistic conditions. Conversely, a negative score represents bad, pessimistic conditions. Readings near zero are consistent with a neutral operating environment, and double-digit readings in either direction suggest significant operating changes are likely.