Truck Sales on Track for Banner Year

The year-long heavy-duty truck sales upswing continued into November, promising to make 1998 another huge year for truck manufacturers. Class 8 truck makers sold 19,002 trucks in the U.S. retail market in October 1998, a 5.2% increase over the 18,062 trucks sold during the same time last year, according to data from the American Automobile Manufacturer's Assn. So far this year, the industry has sold 170,798 Class 8s, up from 146,128 last year, a 16.9% increase. But even with a record year in the making, the indications of a slowdown persist. "There will be some easing from here on out," said Peter M. Toja, president of Economic Planning Associates, Smithtown, N.Y. Mr. Toja said a gradual slowing of the economy will mean less demand for new equipment. He expects 1998 to be the biggest year for truck sales at least for the next three to four years and foresees no serious disruptions. "We won't fall off a cliff," Mr. Toja said. Market leader Freightliner Corp. sold 5,960 big trucks in October, up 20.2% from the same month last year, when the company sold 4,958 trucks. Kenworth Truck Co., Mack Trucks and Volvo Truck North America were virtually even in the sales race. Kenworth sold 2,080 Class 8's, up 26.9%; Mack sold 2,074 , up 9.2%; and Volvo sold 2,033, up 20.8%. Navistar International Transportation Co. maintained an 18.8% share of the Class 8 market with sales of 3,576 trucks, but this was a 20.7% decrease from last October, when the company sold 4,507 units. For the full story, see the Nov. 23 print edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.

br>

script id="infogram_0_fuel_prices-70334" src="//e.infogr.am/js/embed.js?l02" type="text/javascript">

376