CK Commercial Vehicle Research reports that their Fleet Equipment Buying Index for the first quarter of 2009 fell 9 percent from fourth-quarter 2008 figures.


The first-quarter CKCVR index fell to a reading of 75.8 (Q1 2008 = 100). The index is a simple measure of planned buying behavior of for-hire, private and government fleets over the next three months. A lower reading indicates that fewer fleets are planning to purchase equipment while a higher reading indicates that more are planning to purchase equipment.

CKCVR regularly polls a group of fleet operators about their equipment purchasing and maintenance practices. In January 2009, 44 percent of respondents planned to place orders for power units in the next three months and only 30 percent planned to place orders for trailers in that time period. In addition to those fleets that have no immediate plans to place orders for equipment, a number plan to sit on the sidelines throughout 2009.

Complete survey results are reported in the Q1 2009 Fleet Sentiment Report (http://www.ckcvr.com/fleetsentiment.html), a quarterly report of CK Commercial Vehicle Research.

CK Commercial Vehicle Research (CKCVR) is a business of CK Marketing & Communications located in Columbus, Ohio. CKCVR surveys fleet advisors representing a mix of large, medium and small for-hire, private and government commercial vehicle fleet operations.