Fleet utilization keeps with record levels

American Class 6 and 8 vehicle utilization managed to stay at peak levels, according to a U.S.-based market research company.

MacKay & Co., which specializes in researching the medium and heavy truck and trailer aftermarket, found that fleets were operating trucks at 86.3% of capacity. That’s about the same rate as the record-setting, second quarter 1999 utilization numbers.

Despite spiking diesel costs and driver shortages, the Lombard, Ill.-based firm found that Class 8 utilization rose (especially for private fleets, lease/rental companies and construction operations)-edging up 0.2 percentage points to 87.3%. Class 6 utilization slightly moved up from 79.8% to 80.5%. Trailer utilization proved to be the biggest gain-jumping 2.6 percentage points to 84.4%.

“Even though there is a driver shortage and fuel prices are increasing, freight value hasn’t dropped off. It’s still moving,” said MacKay & Co. database services director Don Kuntz. Kuntz did add that rising U.S. interest rates may cause utilization to slow down in the near future.

Class 7 and bus utilization were the only categories that showed a decline from last year, dropping slightly to 84% from 85%. Class 8 utilization for “other fleets”-described as government and utility equipment-sank 24.2 points.
Owner-operators in the survey reported a 4.9 % drop, which is mainly attributed to fuel prices and a thinning demand for for-hire services.

About 600 fleets responded to the quarterly survey, representing over 100,000 Class 6 and 7 trucks, 150,000 Class 8 trucks and 262,000 trailers.