In The News

Medium-Duty Sales Rise 20.5% in September

Medium-duty truck sales jumped 20.5% in September from a year earlier, WardsAuto.com reported, as improving confidence in the economy continued to support higher demand for new trucks.

Retail sales of Classes 3-7 trucks in the United States totaled 37,508 last month, up from 31,107 in the same month a year ago, according to Ward’s data.

“We’ve got decent economic growth, and that’s bolstering confidence among the small business owners who happen to need a truck to support their business,” said Steve Tam, vice president at ACT Research Co.

At the same time, buyers still are playing catch-up after delaying replacement purchases during the recession and recovery, Tam said.

“It’s been such a long, slow climb that I think we still have pent-up demand in the medium-duty space that we’re beginning to see actually get relieved,” he said.

Through the first three quarters of 2014, buyers have purchased 327,320 Classes 3-7 trucks, up 6.5% from the same timeframe last year.

Bentley Truck Services, a medium-duty truck dealer with locations in Pennsylvania, Delaware and New Jersey, has seen consistent demand this year, said Joe Campbell, director of sales and marketing.

“A couple years ago, everyone was a reluctant buyer,” he said, but now, fewer customers are buying in response to a truck breaking down and more are moving forward with proactive, planned purchases.

“Today, the buyers seem confident that their businesses are doing well,” said Campbell, whose company sells Hino, Isuzu and Mitsubishi Fuso trucks.

Customers also have gained more confidence in new trucks with selective catalytic reduction aftertreatment and diesel exhaust fluid systems, he added.

Last month’s growth spanned the medium-duty range.

September sales of Class 7 trucks jumped 39.6% from a year ago to 5,080, contributing to year-to-date growth of 16.4% to 40,379 units, Ward’s said.

Monthly Class 6 sales, meanwhile, rose 24.3% from a year ago, to 4,109. Sales for 2014 to date have increased 7.5% to 39,150.



Combined sales of Classes 4 and 5 trucks surged 39.6% to 7,787 in September. Year-to-date sales have climbed 14.4% to 57,546.

Sales of Class 3 trucks rose 10.4% to 20,532 in September. Year-to-date, sales are up 2.4% at 190,245.

Earlier this month, Martin Daum, president of Daimler Trucks North America, said that industrywide Classes 6-7 truck sales should hit 108,000 vehicles this year in the United States, Canada and Mexico, up from 103,000 last year.

For 2015, Daum said he expects medium-duty sales to remain at the same level as this year, but he added that the anticipated lack of growth is not a problem.

“There’s something to be said for a mature, stable market,” Daum said.

Associate News Editor Jonathan S. Reiskin contributed to this story.

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