Medium and heavy truck sales were up 32% in December over the same period a year ago and up 32% in 2011, according to figures compiled by Wards Communications.
Dealers sold 55,721 trucks with GVW ratings above 10,000 pounds during the month, up from December 2010 (43,310) and up 29% from November 2011 (40,570).
Compared with December 2010, Class 8 trucks were up 78% (20,939, compared to 11,742). Class 7 sales were 3,623, down 3% from the 3,720 sold.
For the year, truck dealers sold 501,478 trucks with GVW ratings above 10,000 pounds, up from 379,144 in 2010.
Class 8 sales were 171,358, a 60% increase from 2010 (107,152). Class 7 sales were up 7% (41,212, compared to 38,350). Class 6 sales showed the second-largest increase of all classes—40%, 40,677, compared to 29,143.
Total sales of all classes were up 13%, from 6,136,787 to 6,951,210. Class 4 was the only one with a decline (13%). The increases: Class 1 (11%), Class 2 (15%), Class 3 (21%), and Class 5 (37%).
Every class except Class 7 was up in December over the same month in 2010, with the biggest increase in Class 4 (54%).
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