Today, new trucks are harder to find than years past. Compound that issue with the rising price and scarce inventory of used trucks and you can understand the predicament fleets find themselves in when attempting to acquire additional assets.
Fleet Owner reported that in March, preliminary used Class 8 same dealer sales grew 23% month-over-month, though compared to March 2021 it represented 23% lower volume year over year, according to ACT Research.
Further, the average retail price of a used truck rose 11% M/M in March, though average miles were down 3% and age down 7%, according to ACT Research’s report—State of the Industry: U.S. Classes 3-8 Used Trucks. And Y/Y, retail price was 90% higher, as miles and age were both greater by 3% each.
To help alleviate the issue and supply the industry with used trucks, Navistar recently opened a new 13,000 sq.-ft. Used Truck Center located in Joliet, Illinois. The facility houses a sales department, a calibration engineering center, and eight service bays.
“The used truck market continues to be in a state of abnormally low available inventory and historically high pricing levels,” Tony Stinsa, vice president, Used Truck told Fleet Maintenance. “Within the International used truck ecosystem, we are participating actively in this market.”
That participation in 2021 resulted in the International Used Truck team selling nearly 6,000 used trucks, and the International Used Truck Operations has continued to purchase and sell inventory, supporting the International UTC and dealer network, as well as new truck sales.
The new Chicago Used Truck Center is located at 2691 Mound Road. The location was strategically chosen, as its proximity to multiple interstates and the Houbolt Truck Bridge and Road Extension construction project are expected to increase truck traffic in the area and drive customers. Navistar stated that nearly one-third of the country’s freight will be passing through the region every year.
“Our team did extensive research regarding a centralized and easily accessible location for the new UTC, and Joliet was the ideal option,” Stinsa said. “Chicago metropolitan freight traffic is anticipated to double in the next 20 years, setting us up for a future of success in the area.”
The new location has also partnered with Rush Truck Centers – Chicago, a nearby International Truck dealer, who will be providing maintenance services—utilizing the new UTC’s eight service bays. Navistar said that the dealer service technicians will provide reconditioning work, as well as other service center needs.
Navistar stated that the engineering calibration center at the Joliet UTC will “test future product offerings, complete diagnostics testing, identify any potential risks, and test the future products in the field.” The engineering calibration center features four drive-in test bays for stationary vehicle testing.
“The purpose for the calibration center is to see how our vehicles perform under various conditions and improve upon our engineering capabilities for future technologies,” said Steve Kadolph, engineering director, Powertrain.
To further assist customers searching for used trucks, the UTC features an updated digital showroom.
“The Joliet Used Truck Center inventory is always available online at internationalusedtrucks.com,” Stinsa said.
The UTC will also designate a single, specialized service bay for customer deliveries, photo shoots, and vehicle walkarounds to further enhance the digital showroom, Navistar said.
“With the LT and RH models, which are newer entrants to the secondary market, we are combining these exceptional vehicles with value-added services like OnCommand Connection, Uptime Advocate, and the System-1 warranty, which provides the used truck customer the best warranty coverage available in the market,” Stinsa concluded.
