Retail sales of Class 3-8—the truck classes most often used in commercial applications--grew by 28% in May, according to figures compiled by Wards Information Products.
Truck dealers sold 51,839 Class 3-8 trucks during the month, compared with 40,570 sold during May 2011. Sales also finished 15% above those of April 2012.
Through the first five months of 2012, sales of Class 3-8 trucks totaled 230,198 vehicles, up 26% from the corresponding period of 2011.
Class 6 trucks were the only segment to finish below year-earlier levels. All other segments—including Class 1 and 2 pickups and vans—topped May 2011 sales by double digits. Specifically: Class 3, up 30%; Class 4, up 56%; Class 5, up 46%; Class 6, down 18%; Class 7, up 17%; and Class 8, up 36%.
Wards Information Products, like Trailer/Body Builders, is part of Penton Media.