Bergey’s Truck Centers Acquires Cumberland Truck
Bergey’s Truck Centers Acquires Cumberland Truck
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It may be early 2023, but smart fleet managers are looking ahead to 2024 to pre-order commercial trucks. OEM production is improving, but demand is still outweighing supply in most cases. With many components coming from overseas, there are economic factors and risks to consider. It’s a challenge for OEMs to identify all the risks and still be adaptable and resiliant. Fleet managers also need to take these issues into consideration when planning how and when to replace and add vehicles.
Trucking is still the top transportation mode used for a large portion of U.S. goods. Trucks moved over 12.5 billion tons of freight in 2022 according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics Annual Report. This is not just long haul. A higher percentage of freight is moved over shorter distances (less than 100 miles).
While this is good news, there are still many issues affecting today’s fleets – labor issues, fuel costs and truck availability will continue well into 2023. Many private fleets have been struggling to absorb the increase in operating costs. Truck availability plays a large role in cost increases. With an aging fleet comes added service and maintenance costs. Even availability of “newer” used trucks was difficult.
If you are going to replace or add trucks to your fleet, pre-order commercial trucks NOW so you can actually get your equipment in early 2024. OEM order boards for this year have filled up fast. Dealership allocations for 2023 are all but spoken for, so chances of getting a new truck without a pre-order will be slim.
With the overseas semi-conductor factories and other key component manufacturers opening up, as well as improving labor constraints at OEM manufacturing locations and other aspects of heavy duty commercial truck production, there is an end in sight. Supply will be catching up with the lagging 2022 demand in 2023. For Bergey’s Truck Centers, all production slots in the first half of this year have been pre-sold, and while there may still be some risks of supply chain weakness, any 3rd and 4th quarter production slots are selling out fast.
Beyond getting orders in now for 2024, there is good news for the used commercial truck market. As fleets take delivery of new truck, they are typically trading them in or selling them off. This increase in availability in the used truck market, be it sleepers, day cabs, straight trucks, dumps and other vocational upfits, is having a stablizing if not slight decrease in acquisition costs for used commercial trucks. So if you are not able to get new, upgrading to a “newer, fewer miles” vehicle is a viable option.
At Bergey’s Truck Centers, our team of commercial truck experts are here and ready to help you get the trucks you need – heavy duty, medium duty, trailers and used equipment.
BUZZNERD TRUCKS