A new National Truck Equipment Association product can help develop marketing plans or update existing data on the truck tractor market.

Using federal government vehicle registration data, the NTEA "Work and Vocational Truck Data Source: Truck Tractor Registrations by State, Model Year and Trailer Body Most Often Pulled" enables manufacturers of work truck trailers and equipment to identify the base market on which their products rely and develop marketing plans accordingly.
According to the association, the individual state data helps trailer manufacturers and dealers establish the relative importance of each trailer body type in local markets. The model year data on tractors is useful in determining truck tractor replacement rates.
The data was taken from the Vehicle Inventory and Use Survey, published by the U.S. Bureau of the Census for 1997 in 2000, published once every five years. The survey uses data from all 50 states and the District of Columbia, and supplemental research from R. L. Polk & Co. to determine how many truck tractors are registered in the United States. In addition to providing a national count of registered truck tractors, the study also includes data regarding trailer body type pulled, gross vehicle weight, miles traveled, type of equipment installed and loads carried.
The registration data in the publication covers the number of tractor registrations in each state and ranks truck tractors by model year. While the data does not provide registration data for trailers, NTEA says the published data will enable useers to identify which trailer body types are most prevalent in each state.
The data are for private registrations only. Federal, state and local government-owned truck tractors are not included.
NTEA represents more than 1,600 companies that manufacture, distribute, install, sell and repair commercial trucks, truck bodies, truck equipment, trailers and accessories.
For more information, call 1-800-441-NTEA.