Freight volumes in the United States have fallen year on year for the first time since 2012 and before that the recession of 2009, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. The total volume of freight moved by road, rail, pipeline, inland waterways and as air cargo in November 2015 was 1.1 percent lower than in the corresponding month a year earlier ( tmsnrt.rs/1UTYLgg ). Freight demand growth has been slowing since the start of last year but the slowdown intensified in the second half and November marked the first time that year-on-year growth turned negative ( tmsnrt.rs/1UTYRVj ). Volumes have been hit by a combination of factors. Coal shipments to power producers have fallen as a result of cheaper natural gas and stricter environmental regulations. Exports […]