TORONTO, Ont. — TransCore’s spot market Canadian freight index saw a sizeable gain in March with volumes up 24% month-over-month, while the first two months of the year recorded only 1% gains. However, year-over-year volumes were down 18% from the unusual record-setting levels reached in March last year.  

While postings by TransCore’s Canadian-based Loadlink customers were down 11% from the first quarter last year, consolidated postings from both US- and Canadian-based subscribers actually increased 3% year-over-year for the first quarter. The increase was primarily attributed to an increase in cross-border postings from US- based companies, which were 63% higher than Q1 2011, according to TransCore. In March, cross-border postings accounted for 69% of activity by Loadlink’s Canadian customers. Intra-Canada postings made up 29% of the total volumes.

Import postings constituted 57% of all cross-border postings while export postings accounted for 43%.

Top regions for import loads into Canada were: Ontario (54%), Western (22%), Quebec (21%), and Atlantic (3%).

Top regions for import equipment into Canada were: Ontario (52%), Western (23%), Quebec (22%), and Atlantic (3%).

Top regions for loads within Canada were: Western (51%), Ontario (24%), Quebec (19%), and Atlantic (6%).

Total equipment postings in March increased 5% from the previous month, while year-over-year capacity was up 9% from March 2011. For the first time in 2012, the monthly equipment-to-loads ratio dipped. Capacity has tightened up compared to the first two months of the year, however, equipment availability remains much more abundant than the tight capacity crunch of March 2011, according to TransCore.