U.S. retail sales of Class 8 trucks in May totaled 12,551 units, down 9.7% from May 2002.

According to data from Ward’s Communications, three manufacturers posted year-over year gains: Peterbilt retailed 1,606 Class 8 trucks, compared to 1,464 a year earlier; Western Star, 143 versus 97; Sterling, 861 versus 731. Freightliner's May retail sales totaled 4,239 units versus 4,331; International, 1,788 versus 2,099; Mack, 1,407 versus 2,166; Kenworth, 1,203 versus 1,837; Volvo, 1,204 versus 1,119.
A continued soft economy was blamed for much of the downturn but the market is also feeling some effects from last year’s pull-ahead buying to beat new emissions rules.
Class 8 sales through the first five months of 2003 are down 6.6% from the same period last year.
Class 7 retail sales in May totaled 5,120 units, down from 7,501 last year. Class 6 sales were 3,894, compared with 3,960.