Deliveries of heavy- and medium-duty trucks in the U.S. declined 4.8% on a daily sales rate basis in August to 29,361 units vs. 29,733 in like-2001, according to Ward's data.
However, heavy-duty (Class 8) sales posted the sector's biggest increase since January 1994 with deliveries up 18.7% as fleets rush to buy rigs before new emission regulations kick in that will raise prices and decrease performance.
Medium-duty (Class 4-7) sales dipped 19.7%; Class 7 deliveries plummeted 35.8%. Class 6 sales were up 5.4% from like-2001, the only medium-duty segment to post an increase. Class 5 deliveries declined 7.4% in August while Class 4 sales fell 21.6%.
January-August Class 4-8 sales total 215,862, trailing year-ago's 247,025 by 12.6%.
August Class 8 inventories total 25,241 units (50 days' supply), vs. year-ago's 26,584 (62 days'). Medium-duty stocks are at 47,554 units (88 days') compared to like-2000's 51,990 units (77 days').
Wards' U.S. New Truck Sales by Weight Class — August 2002JULY | JANUARY-JULY | Month Units | Units | | 2002 | 2001 | DSR % Chg | 2002 | 2001 | Vol. %Chg |
|---|
| Class 1 | 602,388 | 517,776 | 12.2% | 4,153,689 | 4,034,494 | 3.0 |
| Class 2 | 266,062 | 196,857 | 30.3 | 1,739,829 | 1,588,414 | 9.5 |
| Class 3 | 7,559 | 7,265 | 0.3 | 52,534 | 61,171 | -14.1 |
| Class 4 | 3,015 | 3,710 | -21.6 | 26,355 | 37,809 | -30.3 |
| Class 5 | 1,892 | 1,971 | -7.4 | 16,047 | 16,905 | -5.1 |
| Class 6 | 4,850 | 4,437 | 5.4 | 28,204 | 29,550 | -4.6 |
| Class 7 | 5,350 | 8,033 | -35.8 | 50,177 | 65,913 | -23.9 |
| Class 8 | 14,254 | 11,582 | 18.7 | 95,079 | 96,848 | -1.8 |
| Total Trucks | 905,370 | 751,631 | 16.2 | 6,161,914 | 5,931,104 | 3.9 |
| Source: Ward's AutoInfoBank |