Graphics: CK Commercial Vehicle Research
The overview shouldn’t surprise anyone in the trucking: Fleets will be less aggressive in purchasing new equipment next year as the driver shortage continues to hamper capacity growth, according to the 2014 Annual Fleet Study by CK Commercial Vehicle Research.
“The key point from this year’s survey is the driver shortage – impacting everything,” says CKCVR’s Chris Kemmer.
But the real value of the analysis is in the details: Sixty-six representatives from small, medium and large for-hire, private and government fleets operating more than 40,000 Class 8 vehicles responded to this year’s 20-question survey.
Topics include planned 2015 truck and trailer purchases for replacement and added capacity, brand choices, driver shortage impact, equipment specifications, new technologies, maintenance and replacement parts, information sources and challenges for 2015.
In other words, consider it an annual checkup on the health and wellness of fleet operations, with the survey data suitably charted and graphed, supplemented by dozens and dozens of quotes and comments from respondents.
Along with the nuts and bolts on equipment purchase plans, the survey sheds some light on the thinking of fleet decision makers by tracking changes in equipment orders over the past three years. (For instance, the percentage of fleets spec’ing trailers with tire pressure monitoring systems nearly doubled this year, after holding steady in the previous two surveys.)
