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December 9, 1999 9:53 AM, EST

Trailer shipments in the first nine months of 1999 were down from last year, but still strong enough to be on track to make this year the second biggest in the industry’s history.

The Truck Trailer Manufacturers Association reported 210,671 trailers shipped in the first three quarters, 17.1% below the 254,047 in the same period during the record year of 1998.

At the current pace, 1999 shipments would reach a year-end total of more than 280,000, compared with the 1995 total of 279,144. The 1995 shipments were the highest total in history until they were smashed by last year’s mark of 344,007.

Although preliminary figures supplied by the Bureau of Census have often been revised downward, Richard Bowling, president of TTMA, said he believes the current figures are closer to reality than they have in the past, due to improved reporting in the trailer manufacturing industry.

For the full story, see the Dec. 6 print edition of Transport Topics. .