For U.S. Class 8, orders averaged 40,800 units per month in 2018, but for the first half of 2019, just 14,600 per month. Similarly, U.S. trailer orders averaged 35,100 units/mo. in 2018, and have managed just 13,500 units per month in the three months ending May.
Much of the weakness in orders in the first half of 2019 is a reflection of the strength in orders in 2018 and the large, filled backlogs at the start of the year. We are just at the point where the order focus will shift to 2020, so weakness from here on out will be more indicative of future activity than the order weakness experienced year to date.
Despite the slowdown in orders and falling backlogs, demand for used equipment persists at high levels. In April 2019, average used prices were up nearly 15% from a year earlier. Strength in used equipment, like new equipment, is attributed both to strong carrier profitability tailwinds into 2019 and the rapid improvements in technology and fuel economy that have come into the fleet in the current decade.
Replacing an older truck with a fuel-efficient late model truck will help to offset falling freight rates.
By TruckingInfo
In this report, we present data on vehicle age, mileage, maintenance cost, and labor hours. Data is organized by type of vehicle, including refuse trucks, sedan and SUV police vehicles, dump trucks, pickup trucks, and fire equipment.
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The average marginal cost per mile for fleets rose 6% in 2017 to $1.69, thanks largely to increased fuel and driver costs.
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The Freight Transportation Services Index (TSI), based on the amount of freight carried by the for-hire transportation industry, hit an all-time high of 138.7 in November 2018.
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It's taking longer for loads to arrive, and the DOT currently projects the weight of goods moved by truck to rise by close to 34% by 2045.
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Although labor issues remain a significant challenge for respondents to the National Private Truck Council's annual survey, they continue to report retention and turnover performance far better than their for-hire colleagues.
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Annual average wages of heavy tractor-trailor truck drivers by state and employment numbers by state are shared.
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The price of crude oil has increased since last year, with regular gasoline increasing 10% and diesel only seeing an increase of 1%.
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Average U.S. retail fuel prices for propane, ethanol, biodiesel, gasolin, diesel, etc., since 2000 are shared.
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Refrigerated and dry van saw smaller increases in 2017, but a look at the announced Q1 2018 changes indicate a much more aggressive approach for 2018.
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In 2018, Texas had the highest numer of drivers employed by state with 182,370 but an annual mean wage of $44,260. Private fleets pay higher on average than for-hire fleets, with the Northeast topping the list at $65,796 per year.
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Average retail fuel prices in the U.S. from 2000 to 2018, fuel and emissions for 2012 vs. 2019 sleeper cabs, and and a sleeper "all-in" cost comparison.
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According to the U.S. Department of Energy, only four countries have lower fuel taxes than the United States: Mexico. Russia, Indonesia, and Brazil.
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