Solid fleet purchasing plans are projected for the first half of 2015 in Class 8 deliveries, according to the fourth-quarter Fleet Sentiment Report survey conducted in October by CK Commercial Vehicle Research (CKCVR).
The overall FSR Buying Index of 109.5 is up 2% year-over-year. The index measures the number of fleets planning to place orders for trucks and trailers in the next three months as well as the expected volume of those orders.
While current purchase plans are strong, fleets continue to report that they cannot add any capacity due to lack of qualified drivers. Just 1% of planned Class 8 orders reported in Q4 are designated for fleet growth, the rest being for replacement.
Said Chris Kemmer, consultant at CKCVR, “Over and over, we hear from the fleets reporting, 'We'd buy more equipment if we had more drivers'. Most are in a good place financially with plenty of available freight but without drivers, additional trucks don’t make sense. Replacement demand for the time being remains strong."
Q4 survey respondents are positive about 2015 rating their expectations for next year an average 3.87 on a scale of 1-5.
For more information about the Fleet Sentiment Report and other CK Commercial Vehicle reporting visit www.ckcvr.com or call Chris Kemmer at 614-459-9369.