Although the growth rate of preliminary Class 8 same dealer sales volumes slowed in March, it showed no signs of letting up (+3.7 percent), according to the latest preliminary release of the State of the Industry: U.S. Classes 3-8 Used Trucks published by ACT Research.

According to Steve Tam, Vice President at ACT Research, “The gain in retail sales volumes was not as robust as history suggested but came on the heels of stronger-than-expected growth. In typical fashion, auction volumes increased 50% m/m, and wholesale transactions swelled 13 percent from February.”

Tam concluded, “March retail sales normally surpass the average month by around 9 percent, thanks to a 13-percentage point increase from February. Second quarter sales tend to be pretty average, with June as the epitome of average.”