This isn’t fake news, folks.
The Class 8 truck manufacturing industry, despite seeing a 14.8 percent decline in November sales as compared to October, recorded its best November total since the well-documented pre-buy year of 2006, and the second best November since at least 2000.
According to WardsAuto, 21,302 Class 8 units were sold in November as compared with 25,007 in October. Data show that 22,539 Class 8 units were sold in November 2006 as motor carriers deluged OEMs while trying to beat the 2007 new engine emissions requirements. Even in that record year when 284,008 Class 8 trucks were sold, there was a 10.1 percent decline in November sales compared to October.
November 2018 sales beat November 2017 by a 21.8 percent.
And year-to-date, sales are up 32.2 percent as 2018 heads toward the second or third best year in sales.
So far in 2018, the industry has sold more Class 8 trucks in 11 months than all but year-long totals in 2006 (284,009), 2005 (252,792) and 2015 (248,797). A typical December could make 2018 the third best year for the period of 2000-2018.
With the November decline, only two OEMs did better than October. Western Star was up 8.1 percent with sales of 510 versus 345 in October, and Mack showed a 3.3 percent gain with sales of 1,450 compared with 1,403 in October.
All nameplates showed an increase over 2017 topped by Volvo’s 604 percent gain and Western Star’s 47.8 percent increase.
International at 57.9 percent and Volvo at 57.5 percent head up the list of year-to-date gains.
The Trucker News Staff produces engaging content for not only TheTrucker.com, but also The Trucker Newspaper, which has been serving the trucking industry for more than 30 years. With a focus on drivers, the Trucker News Staff aims to provide relevant, objective content pertaining to the trucking segment of the transportation industry. The Trucker News Staff is based in Little Rock, Arkansas.
