Class 8 truck sales rebounded slightly last month to a tune of 8101 units for all major North American OEMS, marking a 9.7-percent increase from May and the first sales improvement in three months. With the latest uptick in sales, the annualized rate of orders ameliorates to 97,212 units, up from the previous three-month annualized rate of 94,872 units.
Image courtesy of Peterbi...
Image courtesy of Peterbilt Overall, Class 8 sales were battered in 2009, with February sales representing "the lowest point in the last 25 years," according to Kevin Flaherty, senior vice president of sales and marketing for Mack Trucks. Although sales have been hurting, a month-by-month review does reveal progression over the past three months.
Kyle Treadway, chairman of the American Truck Dealers association, attributes the sales increase to rapidly aging truck fleets, stating "the average age of [over-the-road] equipment is now 7.5 years and rising - and maintenance costs climb significantly as a truck gets older. That may be why we're seeing orders and sales increase at this point."