--- title: "Truck Freight Recovery Postponed: February TCI Shows Mixed Signals" description: February's Trucking Conditions Index shows slight improvement, but carriers should prepare for a delayed recovery due to economic challenges and global trade issues. image: https://today.ftrintel.com/hubfs/social%20images/Blog%20images/2025/04-April/TCI%20April%202025.png --- ![](https://today.ftrintel.com/hs-fs/hubfs/social%20images/Blog%20images/2025/04-April/TCI%20April%202025.png?width=1600&height=500&name=TCI%20April%202025.png) forecasting SCI # Truck Freight Recovery Postponed: February TCI Shows Mixed Signals ![Avery Vise, VP of Trucking](https://today.ftrintel.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Avery%20outside_cropped.jpg?width=48&height=48&name=Avery%20outside_cropped.jpg) Avery Vise, VP of Trucking April 23, 2025 Truck Freight Recovery Postponed: February TCI Shows Mixed Signals 1:10 FTR’s latest **Trucking Conditions Index (TCI)** shows a modest improvement in February, rising to **-0.21** from January’s **-2.56**. While this shift nudges conditions closer to neutral territory, the broader outlook has taken a turn for the worse—and carriers should brace for a longer road to recovery. ### What’s Behind the Numbers? - **Freight volumes and truck utilization** improved modestly. - **Fuel cost increases** were less severe than in previous months. - But… **freight rates weakened**, keeping the overall index in negative territory. These factors combined to create a near-neutral operating environment, but the real concern lies in what’s ahead. ### A Tougher Road Ahead for Carriers According to **Avery Vise**, FTR’s Vice President of Trucking: > ![Avery outside_cropped](https://today.ftrintel.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Marketing%20Collateral/FTR%20Headshots%20and%20Bios/Headshots/Cropped/Avery%20outside_cropped.jpg?width=236&height=236&name=Avery%20outside_cropped.jpg)“With global tariffs and a full-fledged trade war against China, we have reduced our economic and freight forecasts. Higher inflation, rising interest rates, and a weakening labor market—combined with a pullback from Q1 import surges—are creating a more challenging near-term environment.” In short, carriers shouldn’t expect a meaningful recovery until **early 2026**. 📊 Access supporting charts here: [FTR Trucking Conditions Index](https://www.ftrintel.com/trucking-conditions-index) [![FTR_SOF Today 1-1](https://content.ftrintel.com/hs-fs/hubfs/social%20images/Blog%20images/2025/FTR_SOF%20Today%201-1.jpg?width=1200&length=1200&name=FTR_SOF%20Today%201-1.jpg) ](https://www.ftrintel.com/state-of-freight-today) Stay up to date on all the latest data!  Subscribe to our State Of Freight Today Updates! 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