Class 8 Fleet Grew 5.7% in ’05 as Sales Gained, Polk Reports
he number of new and used Class 8 trucks in operation in the United States increased 5.7% in 2005, pushed both by rising sales and by fleets’ keeping more used trucks in service, according to data from R.L. Polk & Co.
A total of 3.3 million Class 8 trucks were in use at the end of December, a net gain of 180,000 vehicles from 2004, Polk said.
Observers disagreed about whether the overall fleet expansion was caused more by the strong economy or by fleets buying trucks ahead of normal schedules to avoid having to purchase 2007 models, which will cost more to buy and operate because of tighter engine-emissions requirements.