Do Truck Sales Indicated Brighter Future for Truckers?

Does a spike in truck and van sales indicate economic recovery for contractors and small businesses? Already there have been signs that economic recovery is coming to big shipping companies, but with sales of trucks and commercial vans booming, there may be indication that business will pick up for smaller companies. In May, sales of big commercial trucks more than doubled in Northeast Ohio. Semi dealers in this region have sold 425 big commercial vehicles this year, a 57 percent improvement from the first part of 2009.

Similarly, pickup truck sales are showing improvement, up 11 percent so far this year. Reports from Ford show that sales of E-Series and Transit Connect commercial vans are up 48 percent. Some see this as part of a trend in the U.S. climbing out of economic recession, while others are skeptical that increased sales of pickups and commercial vans will continue. The housing market has been observed to be linked to pickup truck sales. When contractors have work and are erecting new buildings, more vans and trucks are purchased, but when times are tough for contractors, they keep old equipment longer and truck sales go down.

The skepticism comes because the housing market is only slightly better now than it was a year ago, indicating that the recent improvements in vehicle sales might be short-lived. Whatever the trajectory, Ford has been the main beneficiary of this increase in pickup truck sales, with the F-Series line being particularly popular. Perhaps more clear in this situation, is the future for commercial trucks, rather than pickup trucks. The Greater Cleveland Automobile Dealers Association reported that commercial tractor-trailer sales in Northeast Ohio have been increasing since April.

This phenomenon isn't isolated to Ohio, though, and since April, heavy-duty truck sales have been reported to be up all across the United States. ACT Research, an Indiana company that tracks sales of commercial vehicles, even reported revisions to studies, raising estimates for truck sales this year. They predict that sale of 18-wheel big rigs will increase 23 percent this year, with smaller commercial vehicles increasing a whopping 62 percent. These estimations were based on an increase in orders of goods that must be moved by freight vehicles in the U.S.