News & Reviews News Wire U.S. rail traffic slump continues in March

U.S. rail traffic slump continues in March

By Trains Staff | April 6, 2023

| Last updated on February 5, 2024

Weekly traffic also remains below 2022 levels

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Weekly table showing U.S. carload traffic by commodity type, plus intermodal totals
Association of American Railroads

WASHINGTON — U.S. rail traffic was down 7.6% in March compared to the same month in 2022, according to statistics from the Association of American Railroads, extending and deepening the downward trend so far in 2023.

Traffic for the week ending April 1 was down by 7.4%, the AAR reported.

The figures for the month included a decrease of 13,794 carloads, or 1.2%, as well as a drop of 178,555 containers and trailers, a decrease of 13.3%. The overall figure for March followed declines of 3.2% in January and 5.2% in February [see “U.S. rail traffic down again in February,” Trains News Wire, March 2, 2023]. Excluding coal, carloads were down 2.1%.

“Rail volumes today are being negatively influenced by broader economic trends, including slowdowns in industrial output, high inventory levels at many retailers, lower port activity and consumer spending that’s not as robust as it was during most of the last three years,” said AAR Senior Vice President John T. Gray.  “To date, there are no clear economic indicators that suggest this uncertainty will not continue into the immediate future.”

The total U.S. volume through 13 weeks of 2023 is down 5.6% compared to the same period in 2022.

Weekly decline continues

The weekly figure of 467,430 carloads and intermodal units included 233,413 carloads, down 0.4% compared to the corresponding week in 2022, and 234,017 intermodal units, down 13.4%.

The weekly figure has been below 2022 numbers every week so far this year.

North American totals for the week, for 12 reporting U.S., Canadian, and Mexican railroads, totaled 341,360 carloads, up 1.8%, and 308,322 intermodal units, down 14%. The combined total of 649,682 carloads and intermodal units represents a 6.3% decrease, while the year-to-date total volume is down 3.6% compared to 2022.

Notably, traffic in Canada and Mexico is up overall so far this year, albeit slightly: by 2% in Canada, and 1.4% in Mexico.

5 thoughts on “U.S. rail traffic slump continues in March

    1. Give Mr. McFarlane a chance to respond. I am sure that in his eyes none of this has anything to do with PSR and we are all just to stubborn to recognize it…

  1. Per centage drops of traffic are astounding especially since 2022 was a year of reduced carloadings. And while “Rome” burns and the economy spirals President Niro tells us the economy is humming, right, just Stormy Daniels theirmost important issue

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