UPDATED: 11.04.2021
There is a used truck shortage in America right now. Freightliner, International, Peterbilt & Volvo have been shutting down production of new trucks because they can’t get parts. Because there are no new trucks, fleets like ours (Prime Inc.) are keeping their trucks running in the fleet longer. Last week, we received word that Freightliner has cut all truck orders by another 35%.
Low mileage double bunk trucks will only be available once manufacturers start making new trucks again.
With this news, Prime Inc. had decided to keep all trucks running in the fleet & Pedigree will not have any used trucks for sale for the remainder of 2021.
We do not know when Pedigree will have more truck inventory in 2022, but we will keep you updated as we learn more.We don’t need to tell you that finding a new or used semi-truck has become incredibly difficult lately. Dealerships are nearly empty, online websites like Truck Paper & Commercial Truck Trader have less inventory than ever. Why? The answer for this problem isn’t a simple one, but we’ve identified one of the major culprits and are going to shed some light on this subject for you.
There are a lot of factors contributing to the shortage of big rigs in the trucking industry. Obviously the explosion of the freight market due to Coronavirus is a major factor, but a more acute reason is a shortage of parts making it impossible for manufacturers to keep up production at normal levels.
“Obviously, the explosion of the freight market due to Coronavirus is a major factor, but a more acute reason is a shortage of parts making it impossible for manufacturers to keep up production at normal levels.”
Most notoriously is an ever growing shortage of semiconductor microchips which continues to widen the gap for new truck and reefer trailer production. Years ago, most of the production facilities for these chips in America moved overseas and now very little production happens in the United States. With the rise of freight since the emergence of the Covid virus & the emergence of new technologies, these chips have become very difficult to obtain. You’ll find these chips in most anything including your cell phone, televisions, appliances, and passenger cars.
Companies such as Intel have now committed to building new production facilities to increase production of chips in America, but this won’t provide an immediate solution to increase production from any of the commercial truck & trailer manufacturers. New orders from Freightliner, International, Peterbilt, Utility & other trucking equipment makers have been pushed back as much as a year or more. With new equipment becoming impossible to find, the used truck & trailer market has experienced record demand very quickly. With that demand so high, inventory from used dealerships has almost completely depleted. This all comes with unfortunate timing as the amount of freight to ship has outweighed the industry’s capacity to move it efficiently.
At this point, you’re probably just wanting to know when we are going to get some trucks, right? Unfortunately, Freightliner just shut down production for new trucks yet again due to these shortages. Until new production of class 8 trucks catches up, you can expect the bottle neck in the used semi truck market ton continue across the country. Pedigree does add a few trucks weekly as they come available, but they tend to sell out quickly. Keep an eye on our online truck inventory in the coming weeks to find the truck you’ve been waiting for! We are hoping that we’ll see a lot more trucks coming in October or November.
If you’re looking for a reefer trailer, don’t fret, we’ve got you covered there as well! In spite of shortages nationwide, Pedigree continues to have inventory updated weekly. To see which trailers are available right now, check our trailer inventory page for details. To lessen the stress of finding the perfect piece of equipment, we also have easy financing options available.
It’s difficult to foresee what may be ahead in the used truck and trailer market, but it is expected that the demand for freight as well as trucks & trailers will last throughout the year. Due to these market conditions, it will continue to be a challenge to find used semi-trucks and reefer trailers for sale. The key to success is to make a good relationship with your salesperson. To reach out to one of our Truck or Trailer Experts, you can access their contact information here.
