US Oct freight index lowest for Oct since 1996

WASHINGTON Dec 9 (Reuters) - The U.S. Freight Transportation Index fell in October to its lowest level for October since 1996, as industry shipments decreased for two months in a row, the 536870913 542405217

Shipments suffered their biggest October year-on-year decline, falling 10.5 percent, since the department began calculating the index 20 years ago.

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. A ton-mile re 536870913 1886545267 (Reporting by Jasmin Melvin; Editing by Neil Stempleman)