by calculated risk May 13, 2024 01:53:00 PM
This graph shows heavy truck sales since 1967 using data from BEA. The dashed line is the seasonally adjusted annual revenue (SAAR) for April 2024.
Heavy truck sales fell sharply during the Great Recession, hitting a low of 180,000 SAAR in May 2009. Heavy truck sales subsequently increased to a new record high of 570,000 SAAR in April 2019.
Click on the graph to see a larger image.
Note: “Large Trucks – Trucks with a gross vehicle weight greater than 14,000 lbs.”
Heavy truck sales fell sharply at the beginning of the pandemic, falling to a low of 308,000 SAAR in May 2020.
Heavy truck sales in April were 483,000 SAAR, up from 452,000 in March, but down 9.4% from 532,000 SAAR in April 2023.
Heavy truck sales typically decline precipitously before a recession. Sales of large trucks are strong.
