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The Freight Transportation Services Index (TSI) rose 0.4 percent in January from its December 2009 level, rising after the index was unchanged in December, the U.S. Department of Transportation's Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) reported today.

BTS, a part of the Research and Innovative Technology Administration, reported that the Freight TSI index has risen 3.3 percent over the last eight months, starting in June. It has increased in six of the last eight months. The index started 2010 with an increase in January, after having declined 4.1 percent during 2009 and 12.4 percent in two years. For additional historic data, go to http://www.bts.gov/xml/tsi/src/index.xml.

The Freight TSI measures the month-to-month changes in freight shipments in ton-miles, which are then combined into one index. The index measures the output of the for-hire freight transportation industry and consists of data from for-hire trucking, rail, inland waterways, pipelines and air freight.

The January Freight TSI of 96.6 is a 3.3 percent increase from the recent low of 93.5 reached in May. In May, the index was at its lowest level since June 1997. The Freight TSI is down 14.4 percent from its historic peak of 112.9 reached in May 2006.

The January Freight TSI of 96.6 is the lowest for January since January 1997 when it was 89.9. With a 1.3 percent decline from January 2009 to January 2010 following a 12.9 percent decline from January 2008 to January 2009, the index has declined 14.0 percent in two years.

The freight index is down 14.3 percent in the five years from January 2005. The index is down 7.5 percent in the 10 years from January 2000.

The TSI is a seasonally adjusted index that measures changes from the monthly average of the base year of 2000. It includes historic data from 1990 to the present. Release of the February index is scheduled for April 14.

For a video explanation of the TSI, see Overview of the Transportation Services Index. For a BTS report explaining the TSI, Transportation Services Index and the Economy is available for download in the BTS bookstore.