The trailer figures
Sandhills Global’s November 6 market report says US used semi-trailer auction values rose 19.64 percent year over year in October and 3.18 percent from September. The report covers data from Sandhills platforms, including TruckPaper, rather than a government census of every US vehicle sale.
Semi-trailer inventory in the report fell 33.92 percent from a year earlier and 3.85 percent month over month. Asking values increased 9.46 percent annually and 1.46 percent monthly. The near-20-percent headline therefore describes annual auction values, not a 20-percent monthly increase in all advertised prices.
Heavy-duty trucks followed a different pattern
For used day-cab and sleeper trucks combined, inventory declined 37.25 percent year over year and 0.83 percent from September. Asking values were 2.12 percent higher than a year earlier but slipped 0.24 percent month over month.
Heavy-duty truck auction values rose 6.09 percent annually while falling 0.16 percent monthly. Those figures should not be substituted for the semi-trailer index: the report describes separate vehicle markets.
How to read the report before comparing equipment
The Sandhills Equipment Value Index estimates market values using information from the company’s auction and retail markets and equipment actively in use. Full reports are available on request, according to the release. The summary does not give a dollar price for a particular truck or trailer.
For a fleet evaluating equipment, the useful distinction is between the relevant vehicle category, an asking value and an auction value, and the comparison period. An index movement does not guarantee what a specific vehicle will sell for or establish that every seller changed its price in October.
