by Calculated Risk June 4, 2024 2:13 PM
This chart uses data from BEA to show heavy truck sales since 1967. The dashed line is the May 2024 seasonally adjusted annual sales rate (SAAR).
Heavy truck sales really collapsed during the Great Recession, falling to a low of SAAR 180,000 in May 2009. Heavy truck sales have since increased to a new record of SAAR 570,000 in April 2019.
Click on the graph to enlarge the image.
Note: “Large Truck – A truck with a gross vehicle weight exceeding 14,000 pounds.”
Heavy truck sales totaled 512 thousand units (SAAR) in May, down slightly from 512 thousand units in April and down 9.4% from 565 thousand units (SAAR) in May 2023.
Typically, sales of large trucks decline sharply before a recession. Sales of large trucks are booming.
