Responses to a fourth-quarter CK Marketing & Communication’s Fleet Sentiment inquiry indicate that an increased number of fleets are planning to avoid purchases of 2007 trucks.

Forty-nine percent of those fleets responding to a question regarding their purchase plans for 2007 affirmed that they have made a decision to alter their normal buying cycles to avoid adding the ’07 models to their fleet, at least initially.
This is an increase from 33 percent in Q3 2005 and is a sign that the closer the industry gets to the effective dates of the new emission requirements, the more likely it becomes that demand for the 2007 models will be reduced regardless of the state of the economy.
The Fleet Sentiment questionnaire is distributed quarterly by CK Marketing & Communications (www.ckkemmercomm.com). Thirty-seven for-hire, private and government fleets participated in the Q4Q 2005 statistics. For more details about The Fleet Sentiment Report, please contact chris@ckkemmercomm.com.