TRT Recently Registered

LAST month, when New Zealand’s heavy truck market recorded its best month since last November, it raised hopes that, at last, this was the start of the economic upturn.

Sadly, the latest registration figures from the New Zealand Transport Agency dash that hope – with July’s registrations totalling just 108 trucks, a 28% fall from the previous month’s total.

That amounts to the lowest July figures in the last decade – and fully a third less than the same month last year.

The trailer market fared a little better in July: Although the 54 registrations was the lowest July total in 10 years, it was still the best month for the industry since August last year…and was only 5% down on July 2009.

Amongst the gloomy stuff there is some good news, says industry analyst Robin Yates, whose Marketing Hand consultancy prepares this monthly report on the markets. Good news, that is, if you’re involved in the crossover/puddle jumper class.

The 3.5-4.5-tonne segment is continuing the growth that began just as the supply of cheap Japanese imports declined, Yates points out.