BLOOMINGTON, IN. — FTR’s Trucking Conditions Index (TCI) for December had a reading of 8.38, which, said FTR, is reflective of the current good environment for truckers.

The TCI is expected to rise significantly by mid-2013, FTR said, citing market tightness from regulatory changes and steady freight growth.

“Despite recent commentary from some in the industry, we believe that the fundamentals for growth remain intact and continue to expect a significant event occurring in July when the Hours-of-Service changes are set to be implemented,” said Jonathan Starks, director of transportation analysis for FTR.

“The amount of capacity that will be affected by the rules is enough for us to expect an impact on rates; however, outside of spot rates, we are unlikely to see it show up in the data until the end of 2013. If the economic recovery continues during 2014 we could see a very strong year for rate increases throughout the industry.”

Jonathan Starks, director of transportation analysis for FTR, commented, “Despite recent commentary from some in the industry, we believe that the fundamentals for growth remain intact and continue to expect a significant event occurring in July when the Hours-of-Service changes are set to be implemented. The amount of capacity that will be affected by the rules is enough for us to expect an impact on rates; however, outside of spot rates, we are unlikely to see it show up in the data until the end of 2013. If the economic recovery continues during 2014 we could see a very strong year for rate increases throughout the industry.”