Daimler’s Daum Sees Stable Year for Truck Sales

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Industrywide truck sales will be relatively flat this year compared with last year, the head of Daimler Trucks North America said in an interview here.

“I believe sales will be between plus 10% and minus 10%” compared with 2012, Martin Daum, president of Daimler Trucks North America, told Transport Topics here at the Mid-America Trucking Show.

“If you would have asked me four weeks ago, I would have been strong about the minus 10%. Today, I would say it is more likely to stay the same,” Daum said, adding that “plus or minus 10% is neither boom nor recession.”

He said Daimler’s quote activity during February was higher than for any month in 2012, but he added that there is typically a half-year lag between a quote and actual sale. DTNA makes Freightliner and Western Star trucks in North America.

Truck makers sold 194,715 Class 8 trucks in the United States last year, a 13.6% bump over 2011.