Shipments of complete truck trailers took their sharpest month-to-month decline in five years during April, according to preliminary figures compiled by the U S Bureau of Census.
April marked the first month-to-month decline in trailer shipments in six months. Manufacturers shipped an estimated 20,730 complete trailers for the month, down 16% from March. Shipments also were down 11% when compared with April 1999.
With the slowdown, trailer shipments slipped to their lowest level since November 1999. Almost every type of trailer declined from March, and most finished below April 1999. Vans were down 17% from the previous month and were off 18% from April 1999. Insulated vans were the only van category to post gains from April 1999, moving up 9% but slipping 10% from March. Dry-freight trailers fell 18% from March, and livestock trailers were off 11%. Open-tops dropped 29% from March.
Other common types of trailers also finished below the prior month's level. Tank trailers were down 10%, platforms lost 17%, lowbeds were 18% lower, and dump trailers were off 20%. The comparisons were much more favorable, however, when compared with year-ago levels. Tanks were unchanged, platforms and lowbeds were both up 3%, and dump trailers gained 18%.
In addition to the complete trailers shipped, the manufacturers also turned out an estimated 1,961 containers and container chassis (down 45% from March and off 1% from April 1999) and 276 dollies and converter gear (11% below March but 7% ahead of April 1999).
Truck sales also took a downward turn in April but were slightly higher than year-earlier levels, according to figures compiled by Ward's Communications. But that was the result of gains by light-duty trucks. With one exception, sales of any truck heavier than a Class 2 were lower than either the previous month or April 1999.
Class 1 trucks (GVW ratings of 6,000 pounds or less) were off 16% from March, but they remained 7% ahead of April 1999. Dealers sold 431,814 Class 1 trucks for the month. Sales year-to-date were up 11%.
Class 2 trucks (GVW ratings of 6,001 to 10,000 pounds) showed a similar pattern-down 8% from March and up 7% from a year ago. Through the first four months of 2000, dealers sold 807,815 Class 2 trucks, up 11%.
Class 3 trucks (GVW ratings of 10,001 to 14,000 pounds) were off 19% from March and 7% from April 1999. With sales of 10,137 in April, Class 3 truck sales reached 40,404 units during the first four months of 2000, up 4% from last year.
Class 4 trucks (GVW ratings of 14,001 to 16,000 pounds), with sales of 4,252 for the month, slipped 23% from March and 14% from April 1999. During the first four months of 2000, sales totaled 16,495 units, up 1% from the corresponding period of 1999.
Class 5 trucks (GVW ratings of 16,001 to 19,500 pounds) were off 17% from March and 3% from April 1999. Sales for the first four months of 2000 were 9,578, down 13%.
Class 6 trucks (GVW ratings of 19,501 to 26,000 pounds) were the only ones rated above 10,000 pounds GVW to finish ahead of April. Although down 7% from March, the 4,849 Class 6 trucks sold during April were 33% higher than last year. Year-to-date sales were up 38%.
Class 7 trucks (GVW ratings of 26,001 to 33,000 pounds) edged down 4% from March, 2% from April 1999, and 5% year to date. Customers bought 11,633 Class 7 trucks during April and 43,435 during the first four months of 2000.
Class 8 trucks (GVW ratings above 33,000 pounds) were off 14% from March and 17% from April 1999. Dealers sold 20,277 Class 8 trucks in April and 78,931 for the first four months of 2000-down 3%.