FTR Shippers Conditions Index returns to positive territory

The new edition of the Shippers Conditions Index (SCI), which was recently issued by freight transportation consultancy FTR, took a positive turn on the heels of a negative reading in its previous edition.

FTR describes the SCI as an indicator that sums up all market influences that affect the transport environment for shippers, with a reading above zero being favorable and a reading below being unfavorable and a “less-than-ideal environment for shippers.”

For September, the most recent month for which data is available, the SCI reading came in at 0.35, marking an improvement over August’s -2.7 reading, which was its first negative reading since October 2022. This came on the heels of a 1.6 July reading, which was well below June’s 7.9.

FTR attributed September’s improvement to a slowing of the recent surge in diesel prices (at that time), which helped shippers while market conditions were mostly stable.

“The neutral reading just above zero shows a relatively stable result, but it moves the index back into positive territory on an easing of diesel prices,” said Todd Tranausky, vice president of rail and intermodal at FTR, in a statement. “Otherwise, the market is little changed. Moving forward, it is likely that diesel prices will determine what the change in the index will be for the next few months.”