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April 6, 2004 2:00 PM, EDT

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he Department of Transportation said Tuesday its transportation services index rose 0.8% in January to 121.4, the highest level in its 14-year history.

January marked the fifth straight monthly increase in the index, which is compiled by DOT's Bureau of Transportation Statistics. The index was 4.9% higher than a year earlier.

DOT said the freight portion of the index decreased 0.9% in January from a record set the month before, although the January reading was still 2.3% higher than a year earlier.

Meanwhile, the passenger index set a new record, reaching a level of 125.1, which was 2.5% higher than the previous high in November 2000.

In its release, DOT said the index includes data dating back to 1990, with changes are measured against the base year of 1996. TSI is still under development and is considered experimental, DOT said.

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