WardsAuto: Truck sales score smallest gain of year

Sales of new medium- and heavy-duty trucks in the U.S. were up 16.7% in May— marking the smallest sales bump of the year when compared with like-2011 numbers, according to a news story posted on WardsAuto.com.

While the May numbers “paled in comparison” with April’s 38.9% sales jump, WardsAuto noted that through May, medium- and heavy-duty truck deliveries were up 29.1% to 143,393 units, when compared with the prior-year’ figure of 111,061.

“A 24.6% plunge in Class 6 deliveries and an 8.3% uptick for Class 7 tempered the strong growth of Classes 4, 5 and 8 last month, WardsAuto data shows, wrote Christie Schweinsberg in her report. “Class 8 saw a 25.1% increase across the entire segment. Daimler’s Western Star [brand] led with sales soaring 95.6%, while the Volvo Truck brand’s 14.3% rise was the smallest gain in the group. Medium-duty deliveries grew 7.3%. Class 7’s number-two volume-seller, International, suffered a 16.9% decline, but Hino’s 95.5% surge put the group in the black.”

Schweinsberg also pointed out that Class 4’s sales gain of 44.4% was the largest of any medium- or heavy-truck group. “Despite’s losses by Ford, down 96.4%, and Daimler, off 29.2%,” she added, “strong performances by the remaining sellers pushed the group into positive territory. Sales of Isuzu imported models jumped 81.7% and International’s climbed 66.6%.”

Meanwhile, north of the border, truck sales were on fire. In a separate news report, Schweinsberg related that Canadian medium- and heavy-duty truck deliveries in May rose 30.1%, maintained their positive momentum.

Heavy-duty sales in Canada were the big winner, rising 38.7%  “on the strength of increases at all manufacturers except International, down 2.2%,” noted Schweinsberg.