November Class 8 sales continue autumn trend, up 4.2%
Daimler Trucks North America’s Freightliner nameplate led the field, selling 2,789 trucks in November, a 28.8 percent gain from October and 1.7 percent improvement from the year before. Pictured is the Freightliner Cascadia. (Daimler photo)
The Trucker Staff
12/11/2009
Heavy duty trucks registered the best sales of the year in November, improving 4.2 percent from the month before. November marked the third consecutive month-to-month improvement as some truck buyers eye savings ahead of the more costly, 2010 emissions-compliant equipment.
According to figures provided to The Trucker by Ward’s Automotive, November Class 8 sales totaled 8,861 trucks in the United States, up from 8,500 trucks in October, which had been the best month of 2009.
And while the November number is 16.4 percent lower than November a year ago (10,598 trucks), that’s the best year-over-year comparison in 11 months.
Still, the numbers have fallen dramatically since the industry peak. Truck sales in November during the industry run-up in 2005 and 2006 averaged 21,646 units.
For the first 11 months of 2009, 83,241 Class 8 trucks have been sold in the U.S. (down 31 percent from last year), the worst showing on the Ward’s books dating to 1985.
In 1991, the previous low, 88,422 trucks were sold in the same period. By comparison, in the 2006 record year, 257,446 trucks were sold through October — meaning a decline this year of 67.7 percent from the peak three years ago.
Based on maintaining the current rate of decline from 2008, projected sales are about 92,000 units for 2009, versus 133,473 in 2008. In 2006, 284,008 big trucks were sold in the U.S.
In a brand-by-brand look at the most recent figures, Daimler Trucks North America’s Freightliner nameplate led the field, selling 2,789 trucks in November, a 28.8 percent gain from October and 1.7 percent improvement from the year before.
Navistar’s International brand couldn’t match a big October, but still sold 2,522 trucks, slipping 3.2 percent, and down 17.7 percent from November 2008.
PACCAR nameplates Peterbilt and Kenworth sold 956 trucks (down 21.8 percent from October) and 1,026 trucks (down 1.1 percent), respectively. Kenworth did edge its 2008 total by 2 trucks, however.
Volvo Group’s Mack Trucks Inc. was up 9.7 percent from the previous month on 771 trucks sold in November, a 1.3 percent improvement from the year before. Volvo Trucks North America was up 8.2 percent for the month, with 686 trucks sold.
Month-to-month numbers, it should be noted, can vary greatly — especially between quarters or from year’s end — depending on an OEM’s sales incentives and reporting procedures.
The U.S. market share pie chart through November shows International holding on to its lead, with a 28.8 percent slice on 23,958 trucks sold, besting Freightliner (26.7 percent, 22,219 trucks). Peterbilt’s share is 13 percent (10,803 trucks) and Kenworth holds 12 percent (9,997 trucks) of the Class 8 market. Mack has recorded 6,519 sales so far in 2009, and Volvo 6,233.
Compared to the first 11 months last year, International’s market share has improved 431 basis points, while Freightliner has improved its position by 128 basis points. So far in 2009 Volvo has seen its share fall from 9.9 percent to 7.5 percent.
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