Volvo trucks

["Gann, Jeff" <Jeff_Gann@domain.elided>]

The company I work for finances the great majority of the Class 8
trucks on the road in America.  In the Jan. 18 issue of Transport
Topics (the industry rag), the breakdown of market share in 1998
is as follows:
							
Freightliner			30.7%		(Just over 100,000 units in
1998)	
Paccar				20.8%
 (Kenworth  10.7%)
 (Peterbuilt  10.1%)
Navistar				18.4%			
Mack				12.8%
Volvo			 	11.5%
Sterling				  2.4%
Other*				  3.4%
* Includes Ford and Western Star

The part of the business I'm in is supplying working capital
loans to individual trucking companies.  Most of my South-
eastern customers have been buying quite a few Volvo trucks
over the past year, as they tell me that they were able to 
equip the trucks with more options for the money.  Today's
trucking companies continually scramble for driver's, as there
are plenty of loads to be hauled, but not enough drivers to take
them.  One of the draws is to put the drivers in new, well 
optioned rigs.  Since almost all trucking companies operate
with a considerable amount of leverage (debt), they tend to 
shop around for the best deals on equipment with the drivers
preferences in mind.

Freightliner continues to be the industry leader, and our company
gives them big smooches on the backside daily.  We're not as
involved with some of the others due to their own financing co.'s

I don't mean to bore some of you, but for once I have something
to offer info wise.

Jeff

>Date: Sat, 30 Jan 1999 16:28:33 -0800
>From: "John Hofstetter" <hofs@domain.elided>
>Subject: Volvo trucks

>Scott,
>I don't doubt your numbers, but we traveled for 7 weeks last Fall in
>the South, and I swear that every newish truck that is owned by a
>Southern trucking company is a Volvo. It's pretty obvious that the
>folks in the South know that what is good for Volvo in their American
>truck building endeavors is, in the long run, good for them.
>
>Isn't there really one domestic owned leader in the truck market. The
>figures I saw last said that 1 out of every 2 big trucks being
>manufactured was by Freightliner.
>John Hofstetter
- ----------