Named after the university's Logistics and Distribution Institute, LoDI expands the reach of a local monthly index that has been offered for a year. It deploys a number between 1 and 100, with lower values representing a decline and higher values an increase in regional logistics and distribution activity. An index higher than 50 indicates healthy activity. The first national LoDI index number, issued for March, 2013, is 50. According to the University of Louisville, LoDI was designed along the lines of the Consumer Confidence Index. Primary users are expected to be logistics-related businesses and warehouses. Other possible users include retail companies, manufacturers, investment companies, government offices, real estate developers, chambers of commerce and individuals. The index relies on the "four Rs" - road, runway, rail and river. Economic factors include cargo tonnage shipped by air, railroad, ship and vehicles, as well as other information such as unemployment levels and gross domestic product.

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