Volume 27 • Issue 01 • 1/31/2025 |
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IN THIS ISSUE
- BOARD NEWS & VIEWS: Welcome to 2025 by Rick Clark
- Save the Date for the 26th Annual Convention
- MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: Bob Thompson
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OPINION: Selling Tech, Not Trucks by Ricardo Rodriguez-Long
- Women In Trucking Blog
- Used Truck Market Review & Forecast
- Industry News Briefs
- Electric News Briefs
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BOARD NEWS & VIEWS: Welcome to 2025 by Rick Clark |
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It’s hard to believe we’re already wrapping up the first month of the year! Your Board of Directors has just returned from our planning meeting at the stunning Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina, the venue for our upcoming 26th Annual Convention. |
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We always kick off the year with a site visit to ensure that every detail is set for the convention, and we’re thrilled to tell you that this year’s location is going to be unforgettable. We’ve stepped up our game once again—this resort is perfectly sized, so you won’t get lost, and the views of the marina and city skyline are absolutely breathtaking. Plus, we’re fortunate to have the same dedicated convention chairs from last year, working tirelessly to enhance the content and agenda. |
For the latest updates, stay tuned through our website, social media, and emails. And don’t forget to register and book your stay as soon as we release the details. This hotel is expected to sell out fast, so early action is key! Don’t miss the early-bird pricing, which will be available through August 31. More information will be coming your way soon. |
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If you haven’t already, please take a moment to renew your membership. Remember, in order for professional members to renew, there must be an active (paid) corporate member. Early renewal ensures you won’t miss out on member-exclusive benefits, including access to our webinars and event discounts. With at least seven UTA events this year—from April’s Red River Shootout to the Annual Convention and everything in between—there will be plenty of opportunities to save. |
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Membership also opens doors to getting involved in shaping the future of our association. If you’re interested in serving on a committee, we encourage you to reach out to a Board member. There are countless ways to engage and help strengthen both the association and the used truck industry as a whole.
Here’s to a fantastic 2025! Thank you for your continued support, and we look forward to seeing you at our upcoming events. – Rick Clark, UTA President |
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MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: Bob Thompson |
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Bob Thompson is the director of business development in the truck and trailer division at Iron Connect. He lives in Bowling Green, Kentucky with his wife Brittany, who is a saleswoman in her own right. Together, he and Brittany “live every day in the moment and love the uncertainty and the challenges that come with building our brands in our respective industries!” The pair has three children together: three-year-old Barrett, seven-year-old Beckham, 17-year-old and Harmony. |
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He’s been interested in trucking since a young age, and kept just one toy from his childhood: a hand-whittled 2x4 semi-truck complete with a cab and double-decker hauling trailer. All throughout his youth, from cub scout to eagle scout, Bob held onto this token. So, though his career started in investment banking, he said, “one could say it was just a matter of time before everything fell in place.” Read more |
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OPINION: Selling Tech, Not Trucks by Ricardo Rodriguez-Long |
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Each year, the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) annually showcases the latest electronics, mobility, and innovation technology. This year, multinational companies presented several exciting advancements in vehicle technology. I previewed Sony’s new car, the Afeela, the Aptera Motors solar-powered EV, and the Chinese Zeeker 009. However, one other advancement stood out to me as something we can expect on our roads soon. |
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Volvo Group and Nvidia announced a multi-year partnership to advance autonomous systems at the show. Their plan is to combine Nvidia's expertise in artificial intelligence and computing with Volvo's experience in vehicle dynamics. Their work will focus on trucking and other commercial vehicles, such as buses, tractors, and construction vehicles, but their developments may also benefit other mobility companies. Continue reading |
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WIT President & CEO Jennifer Hedrick, CAE, recently did a ride-along to experience first-hand what it takes to be a truck driver with WM. She is pictured here with Laurenis Espinal, a professional driver with WM. |
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Women In Trucking Staff, (January 27) —
WIT’s CEO Experiences It First-Hand
A CDL truck driver who safely operates a heavy-duty truck to perform assigned duties on designated routes is at the foundation of WM’s operations. Jennifer Hedrick, CAE, President and CEO of the Women In Trucking Association (WIT) learned this first-hand when she recently participated in a ride-along for a day in Northern Virginia. Read more
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USED TRUCK MARKET REVIEW & FORECAST |
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The Used Truck Chugged Along in 2024
Looking back on 2024, measured progress seems like an appropriate description. Preliminary Class 8 same dealer used truck retail sales volumes finished the year strong, surging 23% m/m. The market undoubtedly outperformed typical seasonality, which called for an increase of 8% m/m. Preliminary auction activity increased from November by an even larger margin (+47%) while wholesale transactions saw a smaller margin of improvement (+3.7%). Combined, sales were up 23% m/m. One theory as to the better-than-expected sales is buyers trying to time their purchases ahead impending value increases. See full report |
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Summary
Auction volume in December was uncharacteristically weak, but pricing ticked up. Sleeper tractors sold through retail channels depreciated moderately, while daycabs moved slightly upward. Class 8 Auction Update
December is typically one of the highest-volume auction months of the year due to inventory adjustments and mining of tax incentives. This past December was an anomaly, returning the lowest volume of any month in 2024. Fortunately, pricing ticked generally upward, although low volume resulted in month-over-month swings in the averages that were not necessarily representative of actual market movement. See full report |
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Used Heavy-Duty Day Cab & Sleeper Truck Inventory Trends Continue To Diverge The newest Sandhills Global market reports, which cover used trucks, trailers, and equipment in Sandhills’ U.S. marketplaces, show used heavy-duty truck inventory trends continuing to diverge. Day cab inventory remains steady, while sleeper truck inventory declines. However, both categories show similar downward value trends.
The key metric in all of Sandhills’ market reports is the Sandhills Equipment Value Index (EVI). Buyers and sellers can use the information in the Sandhills EVI to monitor equipment, truck, and trailer markets and maximize returns on acquisition, liquidation, and related business decisions. See full report
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Assurant Heavy Truck F&I Professionals Class
Experience immediate impact training to help you stay compliant and profitable. Register for our F&I Professionals Class. Our next class is February 18 - 20, 2025
The Woodlands, TX
This industry-leading F&I curriculum covers how to:
• Maximize your F&I profit center
• Increase sales and F&I product attachment rates
• Establish needs awareness and build value in protection products
• Effectively address customer objections with modern techniques
• Reduce F&I product resistance
• Effectively disclose a customer option plan
• Market the F&I department as a customer resource
• Follow a compliant pattern of practice
For information or to register, contact:
Liz Fernwalt
liz.fernwalt@assurant.com
901-299-9175 |
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The trucking industry has generally welcomed a second Trump administration. (Hannah Beier/Bloomberg News)
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In 2025, Will Trump Administration Be a Friend of Trucking? Eric Miller, Senior Reporter, Transport Topics (January 2, 2025) — In June, American Trucking Associations President Chris Spear traveled to Florida to meet with then-presidential candidate Donald Trump to gain insight into what the trucking industry might expect should Trump win a second White House term. Read more
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National Truck Protection Announces Management Promotions |
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Geoff Stigler has been promoted to Chief Operating Officer, and will now oversee Strategic Selling Partners, Claims/Customer Service, Product and Pricing, Contract Administration, and Corporate Relations. Geoff has been the Chief Commercial Officer at NTP since 2020. |
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Craig O’Hare has been promoted to Senior Vice President Dealer Sales and Marketing. Craig has led the NTP/Premium 2000 dealer sales team in the US and Canada since 2023 and is picking up marketing to strengthen the support for dealer resellers and NTP’s 35,000+ customers. |
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Rich Lowe – Dealer Performance Director (DPD)
Rich joined NTP/Premium 2000 in 2023 and manages the heart of the country that includes Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, and Southern Illinois. His 20 plus years of experience include multiple management positions in sales and finance at a variety of large and small dealerships. His early days at JM&A Group (owners of NTP) taught him training skills and goal-oriented processes that he provides his dealers to achieve their sales and development goals. |
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David Hoppe – Dealer Performance Director (DPD)
David manages our NTP/Premium 2000 dealers in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah. He brings a long history in the trucking business which he started in when he was 17. After some time in the Army Reserves, which included a tour in Bagram Afghanistan, he returned to the trucking business working for a small company where he was a truck driver, safety specialist, and business development manager. After a couple years, he went to work at Veterans Affairs as a way to thank the military for helping him earn his bachelor’s degree. He joined JM&A as a Development Specialist before joining NTP in 2023 where he is continuing his passion for trucks and sales.
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Mack Trucks Celebrates 125 Years In Business TruckNews.com (January 13, 2025) — Mack Trucks is marking its 125th anniversary in 2025, celebrating a legacy that began in 1900 in Brooklyn, N.Y. Over the years, its trucks have played a role in many infrastructure projects and industry developments, from hauling steel for the Brooklyn Bridge to modern waste collection using zero-emission electric vehicles, the company said in a news release. Read more
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Roll On – Alabama Visits Kenworth Plant and Thrills Fans with Concert Kenworth Press Release (January 13, 2025) — Alabama’s Roll On II Tour recently came to the Seattle area as part of its nationwide tour -- performing a concert at the Washington State Fair. It also meant a reunion with Kenworth at the nearby Renton truck plant, as members of the band and road crew stopped by for a tour of the manufacturing facility. Also pulling in behind the wheel of the band’s Kenworth T680 was Josh Gentry, son of Teddy Gentry, co-founding member of Alabama. Read full press release
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California Drops Pursuit of Advanced Clean Fleets Rule Jason Cannon, Chief Editor, Commercial Carrier Journal (January 14, 2025) — The state of California has withdrawn its remaining outstanding request for waivers that would have allowed the state to enact emissions limits that exceed federal standards as the sun sets on President Joe Biden's administration, which had been an ally in the state's fight for some of the world's most stringent air quality regulations. Read more
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Duffy Promises Bold Vision as Trump’s Transportation Nominee Eugene Mulero, Senior Reporter, Transport Topics (January 15, 2025) — President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to run the U.S. Department of Transportation promoted domestic energy initiatives and pro-commerce safety programs during his nomination hearing Jan. 15. Former Rep. Sean Duffy’s appearance before the Senate Commerce Committee featured signs of bipartisan support from senators who championed ongoing investments in supply chain connectivity projects. Read more
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Tesla Semi Chief Reports Major Factory Progress
Jay Traugott, Senior Editor for Clean Trucking, Trucks, Parts Service (December 27, 2024) — Tesla Semi program chief Dan Priestley has provided some end-of-the-year updates regarding the progress of the currently under construction Nevada factory that aims to begin series production in 2025. Priestley, like his boss Elon Musk, prefers X, formerly known as Twitter, as his preferred news outlet, stating that "Yesterday, Semi Factory Nevada topped off the main area of the building with the last major piece of structural steel!" Read full press release
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California Drops Electric Truck Mandate; Nebraska AG Calls It ‘A Win for the Rule of Law’ Joseph McCarty, Reporter, Nebraska Now ABC8 (January 14, 2025) Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers declared victory Tuesday in his fight with California over electric trucks. The Golden State withdrew its request for an Environmental Protection Agency waiver to enforce a new regulation. The rule would have required trucking companies that do business in California to switch from diesel trucks to zero-emission vehicles by 2035. Read more
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Amazon Places its Largest-Ever Order for Electric Semi Trucks Michelle Lewis, Reporter, Electrek (January 15, 2025) — Amazon is adding over 200 Mercedes-Benz eActros 600 electric semi trucks to its fleet later this year – its largest-ever order of electric heavy goods vehicles (eHGVs). These electric trucks will handle high-mileage routes across the UK and Germany, moving trailers between Amazon’s fulfillment centers, sorting centers, and delivery stations. Read more
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The Dawn of Electric Trucking Calls for High-Power Charging Press Release, National Renewable Energy Laboratory (January 15, 2025) — Just a few years ago, electric trucks seemed like a distant dream. Yet in 2024, American companies deployed more than 15,000 medium- and heavy-duty electric vehicles (EVs)—including battery-electric semitrucks, passenger buses, and delivery vans. Read more |
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Used Truck Association
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