U.S. sales of heavy trucks up 29% in 3Q
Nov 25, 2002 12:00 PM
How are truck sales doing worldwide? That depends on what section of the world you're talking about. Sales in the heavy-trucks segment of the U.S. market in the third quarter were up 29% compared to the same period a year ago, spurred on by a 39% September growth due to the tightening of the exhaust emission regulations. Despite that favorable stimulus, overall sales of medium and heavy trucks fells to 243,000 vehicles in the first nine months -- an 11% decrease over the first three quarters of 2001. September sales of medium trucks fell by 20%. In Germany, the production of light trucks up to 6 tons reached 19,000 units, a 13% decline from a year ago, and there was a 4% decline in trucks above 6 tons. In China, the commercial vehicle industry prospered as truck sales in the first eight months topped 1.39 million units, topping the same period in 2001 by 29%. Sales of heavy comercial vehicles above 16 tons have more than doubled, and they now account for 24% of overall truck sales.
