U.S. class 8 utilization breaks records

CHICAGO, Ill. — Second quarter Class 8 utilization was a record 89.2 percent vs. 87.6 percent a year ago, according to the latest MacKay & Co. survey.
The U.S. specialized management consulting and market research firm, reports that American for-hire fleets reported an average 95.8 percent, up 2.3 points. Lease-rental was 95.1 percent, up 4 points. Both were records for the quarter.

Owner-operator class 8 utilization was 82 percent, up 2.4 points from last year and a substantial improvement over first quarter — the lowest since 1997, MacKay said. Private fleet utilization fell 2.6 points; construction, mining and refuse dropped 1.7 points; “other” (mainly govt. & utility) rose 5.2 points.

Population growth will put downward pressure on utilization, but the impact may not be felt until ’07, MacKay said. During the last market cycle, Class 8 sales peaked in May/June 2000. From 1995 to 2000 population grew an average 78,000 vehicles per year, but utilization didn’t decline until 2001. Even then, the decline was small.

Second quarter trailer utilization averaged 86.3 percent, up 2.5 points from the same quarter last year. For-hire carrier was 90.9 percent, up 1.3 points from last year — a rate not surpassed since 2000.

Lease/rental was 91.6 percent, up 4.4 points. Owner-operator, 72.5 percent, up 3 points, construction-mining-refuse up 13.8 points, and private fleet trailer utilization dipped 0.3 points.

— From Heavy Duty Trucking