January preliminary Class 8 same dealer used truck retail sales volumes increased 16% month-over-month, according to the latest preliminary release of the State of the Industry: U.S. Classes 3-8 Used Trucks published by ACT Research.
“The new year got off to a strong start for used truck retail sales, up 16% month-over-month, easily outpacing typical seasonality, which called for a decrease of 11% month-over-month,” Steve Tam, vice president at ACT Research, said. “On the other hand, preliminary auction activity decreased from December by 59%. In stark contrast, wholesale transactions mushroomed, increasing 22% year-over-year. Combined, sales contracted 31% month-over-month.”
“Declining new truck sales in Q4/24 are one possible factor that contributed to lower used truck sales in January. Weather, along with economic and political uncertainty, come to mind as potential causes,” Tam concluded.
ACT’s Classes 3-8 Used Truck report provides data on the average selling price, miles, and age based on a sample of industry data. In addition, the report provides the average selling price for top-selling Class 8 models for each of the major truck OEMs – Freightliner (Daimler); Kenworth and Peterbilt (Paccar); International (Navistar); and Volvo and Mack (Volvo). This report is utilized by those throughout the industry, including commercial vehicle dealers to gain a better understanding of the used truck market, especially as it relates to changes in near-term performance.
