A lower asking price is useful only if the truck behind it fits the job. July’s used-truck report gives buyers a reason to check their comparisons: ACT Research’s preliminary average retail price fell 4.4% from June to $61,000, while same-dealer retail sales declined 2.9%.
Both changes were larger than ACT’s seasonal expectations. The research firm had expected sales to slip about 0.5% and prices to decline a little more than 1%. The figures describe a softer month for the trucks in ACT’s sample. They do not establish what a particular truck should sell for.
Freight Rates Help Explain the Slowdown
ACT vice president Steve Tam connected the sales decline to a spot freight market that had stopped gaining ground in July.
“Considering the spot freight market appears to have hit a ceiling in July, reduced used truck sales are not surprising.” — Steve Tam, ACT Research
Sales also fell outside the retail channel. Auction volume declined 11%, wholesale volume fell 4.1%, and total reported preliminary sales were down 5.7%. ACT described the auction decline as smaller than the typical drop following quarter-end.
That distinction matters when shopping. An auction-volume decline tells you fewer trucks changed hands; it does not tell you how much cheaper those trucks became. Compare sale prices for similar equipment before using a market report to set an offer.
What the Average Can Tell a Buyer
The $61,000 figure is a reference point across reported sales. Age, mileage, specifications, maintenance history and condition still need to be considered truck by truck. A monthly average alone cannot establish whether the exact equipment you need has become less expensive.
For a fleet replacing an unreliable unit, the useful comparison includes the cost of keeping that truck running. For a fleet adding capacity, it includes the work available for another truck. A lower purchase price helps either calculation, but it cannot supply missing freight or erase repair costs.
What This Means for Fleet Owners
- Refresh your comparisons. Look for recent sales of trucks with similar mileage, engine specifications and service records. Ask the seller to explain any premium over comparable units.
- Price the work needed before dispatch. Include an inspection, identified repairs, tires and registration in the cash required to put the truck into service.
- Leave room for a slower month. Estimate revenue using freight you can reasonably expect to haul, then check whether the payment and operating costs still fit if utilization falls.
Bring the equipment details, expected repair costs and available down payment into the financing discussion. That produces a more useful purchase budget than starting with the monthly payment alone.
Update: Later July figures, reported by FreightWaves on September 3, put the average retail price at $60,986, down 4%, and same-dealer retail sales down 2.5%. The figures above retain the preliminary report available in August.