Sales of vehicles above 3,500kg gross vehicle mass (GVM) stumbled in April, confirming “the heavy vehicle market is showing clear signs of slowing in 2019”, the Truck Industry Council (TIC) says.
Despite that, TIC notes the 2,943 units – down on March’s 3,296 but up on February’s 2,826 – were still the third-best result for the month of April on record, after April 2018 (3,151) and April 2008 (3,076), just before Australia was hit by the effects of the Global Financial Crisis (GFC).
Year-to-date sales are down just 3 per cent (on an all-time record year), with 11,261 units sold in 2019 compared with last year’s 11,826 and 2017’s 9,675.
The heavy-duty segment mirrors the market, with 1,006 units sold in April, down from 1,185 in March but up on…