ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø

he truck financing market, which nearly collapsed under the weight of surplus equipment two years ago, appears to be on the road to recovery as business prospects for trucking companies improve and strong demand has lifted prices for used trucks.

Spurred by easy credit and generous buy-back incentives offered by manufacturers, truckers bought a record number of new vehicles from 1998 to 2000 and produced a glut of used trucks.

In the two years that followed, finance companies took a hit as falling prices for used trucks undercut the value of fleet assets, thereby making it more expensive for carriers to buy new vehicles.

For the full story, see the Jan. 5 print edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.