The latest release of ACT Research’s For-Hire Trucking Index, which included March data, showed the Driver Availability Index tightened to another new low point in the past three years, marking the fourth month in a row the index has hit a low point.

“The Driver Availability Index tightened to a new low in March to 16.7 from 23.6 in February,” Tim Denoyer, vice president and senior analyst for ACT Research, said. “As volumes recovered from weather-related softness in February and capacity remained very tight, the supply-demand balance rose to 68.2 in March from 60.1 in February. In addition to the raft of constraints on driver capacity, from demographics to unemployment benefits to the FMCSA Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse, constrained Class 8 production and tight vehicle inventories are also likely to limit the pace of recovery this year.”