FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. - NTEA recently published the 2018 Fleet Purchasing Outlook, which explores the commercial vehicle landscape and measures common acquisition incentives. This study is designed to give the work truck industry insight into the projected direction of the fleet community.

"The 2018 Fleet Purchasing Outlook is an essential tool for industry stakeholders,” said NTEA Executive Director Steve Carey. “It provides enhanced awareness of the fleet perspective and can help companies effectively navigate market fluctuations and understand vocational fleet purchasing trends.”

Based on survey responses from a diverse pool of fleet professionals in mid- to high-level management, the report examines current survey results and incorporates data from previous research initiatives, with year-to-year comparisons serving as a benchmark. Report findings summarize fleet manager intentions, delivering a status update on:

  • Average truck age and replacement cycles
  • Macro-level buying tendencies
  • Predicted change in 2018 fleet size
  • Key factors driving purchase behavior
  • Interest in advanced truck technologies and alternative fuels
  • Importance of financial purchasing incentives

Respondent feedback

  • 34 percent: plan to up their vehicle count in 2018 (as compared to 39 percent in 2017)
  • 59 percent: exceed normal replacement cycle (a slight shift from the 56 percent recorded in 2017)
  • 88 percent: plan to make at least some vehicle acquisitions for 2018 (as compared to the 93 percent recorded last year)