Heavy-Duty Truck Sales Drop 11.8% as Fleets Postpone Orders

Key Details U.S. Class 8 truck sales fell to 15,941 units in April, down 11.8% from 18,078 units last year, according to Omdia Automotive data. Year-to-date sales are off 18.2%, totaling 56,168 units versus 68,680 in the prior period. Why It Matters Fleets are cutting capital expenditure budgets amid freight market uncertainty, keeping order volumes depressed. However, the reduced supply is actually helping carrier profitability by tightening capacity. Market Perspective ACT Research Vice President Steve Tam says the industry faces persistent challenges but sees tentative signs of improvement. He notes April typically sees weaker sales, which could indicate buyer confidence is stabilizing. The firm now projects 200,000 Class 8 sales for the year, down from its earlier 225,000 forecast. Manufacturer Performance Freightliner led the market with 5,342 units sold (33.5% share), but that represents an 18.5% decline year-over-year. International Motors reports April results show market stabilization, with sequential improvements suggesting firming underlying demand. Larger fleets are driving early-stage recovery activity more than smaller operators.