Does port traffic indicate a weak holiday season?

The next few months are always critical ones for the trucking industry as well as retailers.  Stores don't begin to fill their shelves with holiday merchandise until the middle of October, but the month of August is typically the time companies start ramping up shipments to cargo holds.  

A forecast released in late July by the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation found that freight volumes at the Los Angeles and Long Beach ports during the first six months of 2012, are up only 1.4 percent over the same period last year.  In addition, the American Trucking Association has changed their economic outlook to now only call for the 3 percent increase in truck freight volumes.  The Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation has also forecast only modest increases in port traffic for the remainder of 2012, as well as 2013.

These reports are leading many to believe that the holiday season will not see the growth that had been hoped for.