Heavy-Duty Trucks Racking Up More Mileage While Used Truck Inventory Levels Continue to Fall

According to new Sandhills Global market reports, inventory levels of used day cab and sleeper trucks continued to decline in July, with overall used heavy-duty truck inventory 36% lower than last year and steadily trending toward COVID-era levels. In addition to heavy- and medium-duty trucks and semi-trailers, Sandhills market reports cover used construction and farm equipment on Sandhills platforms, including TruckPaper.com, MachineryTrader.com, TractorHouse.com, and AuctionTime.com.

“OEM order boards are nearly full and used inventory continues to leave the retail markets,” says Truck Paper Sales Manager Scott Lubischer. “All of these are very good signs for stronger retail values, and I expect the market will perform nicely for the remainder of the year and into 2027.”

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 markets and maximize returns on acquisition, liquidation, and related business decisions. The Sandhills EVI data include equipment available in auction and retail markets and model-year equipment actively in use. EVI spread measures the percentage difference between asking and auction values.

Market Report Details

Sandhills market reports highlight the most significant changes in Sandhills’ used heavy-duty truck, semi-trailer, farm machinery, and construction equipment markets. Key points from the current reports are listed below. Full reports are available upon request.

U.S. Used Heavy-Duty Trucks

Inventory levels in this market decreased 8.22% M/M and 36.03% Y/Y in July and have been trending down for eight consecutive months. Used sleeper trucks had the largest inventory changes, down 11.8% M/M and 40.32% Y/Y.
Asking values decreased 0.88% M/M and 5.14% Y/Y and are trending down. Used day cab trucks had the largest asking value changes, down 1.37% M/M and 7.04% Y/Y.
Auction values showed modest decreases of 1.09% M/M and 1.89% Y/Y and are trending sideways. Used sleeper trucks had the largest M/M auction value change, down 1.78%, while used day cab trucks had the largest Y/Y auction value change, down 5.23%.

Chart showing current inventory, asking value, and auction value trends for used heavy-duty trucks.

U.S. Used Semi-Trailers

Inventory levels of used semi-trailers decreased 4.75% M/M and 33.81% Y/Y in July and have been trending down for 12 consecutive months. Used refrigerated trailers had the largest inventory changes, down 18.25% M/M and 44.84% Y/Y.
Asking values increased 0.47% M/M and 4.33% Y/Y and are trending up. Used flatbed trailers had the largest M/M asking value change, up 2.95%, while used reefer trailers had the largest Y/Y asking value change, up 7.27%.
Auction values increased 1.45% M/M and 8.1% Y/Y and are trending up. Used dry van trailers had the largest M/M auction value change, up 4.78%, while used reefer trailers had the largest Y/Y auction value change, up 18.05%.

Chart showing current inventory, asking value, and auction value trends for used semi-trailers.

U.S. Used Medium-Duty Trucks

Inventory levels of used medium-duty trucks decreased 5.46% M/M and 37.39% Y/Y in July and have been trending down for 11 months in a row.
Asking values remained nearly flat M/M, with a 0.06% decrease, and fell 6.85% Y/Y. Asking values are trending down.
Auction values decreased 1.06% M/M and 7.65% Y/Y and are trending down.

Chart showing current inventory, asking value, and auction value trends for used medium-duty trucks.

U.S. Used Tractors 100 Horsepower and Greater

Inventory levels in the used high-HP tractor market decreased 2.04% M/M and 16.75% Y/Y in July and are trending down, continuing a pattern that has persisted for 14 months. Used 100-to-174-HP tractors had the largest inventory changes, down 6.65% M/M and 23.76% Y/Y.
Asking values were stable, decreasing 0.44% M/M and 0.04% Y/Y, and are maintaining a steady trend. Used 175-to-299-HP tractors had the largest asking value changes, up 1.69% M/M and 1.85% Y/Y.
Auction values decreased 1.55% M/M but increased 2.97% Y/Y and are trending sideways. Used 100-to-174-HP tractors had the largest M/M auction value change, down 2.27%, while used 175-to-299-HP tractors had the largest Y/Y auction value change, up 3.73%.
The EVI spread was 33%, which is a one-percentage-point increase from June but still lower than the peak values observed in 2015.

Chart showing current inventory, asking value, and auction value trends for used tractors.

U.S. Used Combines

Used combine harvester inventory levels fell 3.29% M/M and 11.79% Y/Y in July and are trending down.
Asking values had modest decreases of 0.55% M/M and 1.69% Y/Y and are trending down.
Auction values showed marginal changes, decreasing 0.49% M/M and increasing 0.38% Y/Y, and are trending down.
The EVI spread was 38%, showing no change from June and remaining lower than the peak values observed in 2015.

Chart showing current inventory, asking value, and auction value trends for used combines.

U.S. Used Sprayers

Inventory levels of used sprayers ticked up 2.63% M/M but dropped 19.29% Y/Y in July and have been trending down for eight consecutive months.
Asking values decreased 1.9% M/M and 5.36% Y/Y and are trending down.
Auction values decreased 3.97% M/M and 5.14% Y/Y and are trending down.
The EVI spread jumped from 37% in June to 40% in July but remained lower than the peak values observed in 2015.

Chart showing current inventory, asking value, and auction value trends for used sprayers.

U.S. Used Planters

Used planter inventory levels rose 9.11% M/M but dropped 15.88% Y/Y in July and are trending sideways.
Asking values decreased 2.98% M/M but increased 4.46% Y/Y and are trending sideways.
Auction values slipped 1.12% M/M but increased 12.45% Y/Y and are trending up.
The EVI spread decreased from 49% in June to 47% in July and remained lower than the peak values observed in 2015.

Chart showing current inventory, asking value, and auction value trends for used planters.

U.S. Used Compact and Utility Tractors

Inventory levels in this market decreased 1.34% M/M and 25.47% Y/Y in July and have been trending down for nine consecutive months. Used 40-to-99-HP tractors had the largest M/M inventory change, down 4.56%, while used tractors with less than 40 HP had the largest Y/Y inventory change, down 26.69%.
Asking values increased 0.2% M/M and 1.49% Y/Y and are trending sideways. Used 40-to-99-HP tractors had the largest asking value changes, up 0.34% M/M and 1.72% Y/Y.
Auction values increased 0.41% M/M and 2.02% Y/Y and are trending sideways. Used 40-to-99-HP tractors had the largest auction value changes, up 0.89% M/M and 2.16% Y/Y.

Chart showing current inventory, asking value, and auction value trends for used compact and utility tractors.

U.S. Used Self-Propelled Forage Harvesters

Inventory levels in this market showed a slight increase of 0.6% M/M in July but decreased 5.11% Y/Y and are trending down.
Asking values increased 2.72% M/M and 0.08% Y/Y and are trending up.
Auction values were relatively stable, decreasing 0.16% M/M but increasing 1.36% Y/Y, and are trending sideways.

Chart showing current inventory, asking value, and auction value trends for used self-propelled forage harvesters.

U.S. Used Heavy-Duty Construction Equipment

Inventory levels in this market increased 0.4% M/M but decreased 9.21% Y/Y in July and are trending sideways. Used wheel loaders had the largest inventory changes, up 1.92% M/M and down 10.55% Y/Y.
Asking values decreased 0.3% M/M and 3.07% Y/Y and are trending down. Used wheel loaders had the largest M/M asking value change, down 1.44%, while used crawler excavators had the largest Y/Y asking value change, down 4.63%.
Auction values decreased 0.78% M/M and 2.44% Y/Y and are trending down. Used crawler dozers had the largest M/M auction value change, down 1.35%, while used crawler excavators had the largest Y/Y auction value change, down 3.78%.

Chart showing current inventory, asking value, and auction value trends for used heavy-duty construction equipment.

U.S. Used Medium-Duty Construction Equipment

Inventory levels of used medium-duty construction equipment increased 1.21% M/M but decreased 13.04% Y/Y in July and are trending sideways. Used track skid steers had the largest M/M inventory change, up 2.06%, while used loader backhoes had the largest Y/Y inventory change, down 22.69%.
Asking values increased 0.03% M/M and 0.08% Y/Y and are trending up. Used wheeled skid steers had the largest asking value changes, up 1.47% M/M and 1.37% Y/Y.
Auction values decreased 0.08% M/M but increased 0.38% Y/Y and are trending sideways. Used wheeled skid steers had the largest auction value changes, up 0.67% M/M and 2.28% Y/Y.

Chart showing current inventory, asking value, and auction value trends for used medium-duty construction equipment.

U.S. Used Aerial Lifts

Inventory levels in this market increased 0.54% M/M but decreased 0.49% Y/Y in July and are trending sideways. Used telescopic boom lifts had the largest M/M inventory change, up 1.93%, while used articulating boom lifts had the largest Y/Y inventory change, up 10.46%.
Asking values decreased 0.86% M/M and 2.66% Y/Y and are trending down. Used rough-terrain scissor lifts had the largest M/M asking value change, down 4.71%, while used telescopic boom lifts had the largest Y/Y asking value change, down 3.71%.
Auction values decreased 0.6% M/M and 3.96% Y/Y and are trending down. Used rough-terrain scissor lifts had the largest auction value changes, down 3.93% M/M and 6.17% Y/Y.

Chart showing current inventory, asking value, and auction value trends for used aerial lifts.

U.S. Used Forklifts

Inventory levels in this market increased 1.65% M/M and 11.16% Y/Y in July and are trending up. Used pneumatic-tire forklifts had the largest M/M inventory change, up 2.74%, while used cushion-tire forklifts had the largest Y/Y inventory change, up 12.68%.
Asking values increased 1.57% M/M but decreased 3.36% Y/Y and are trending sideways. Used cushion-tire forklifts had the largest asking value changes, up 4.59% M/M and down 7.43% Y/Y.
Auction values increased 2.16% M/M but decreased 2.74% Y/Y and are trending down. Used cushion-tire forklifts had the largest auction value changes, up 7.44% M/M and down 7.12% Y/Y.

Chart showing current inventory, asking value, and auction value trends for used forklifts.

U.S. Used Telehandlers

Inventory levels of U.S. used telehandlers decreased 0.22% M/M and 0.82% Y/Y in July and are trending up.
Asking values decreased 1.09% M/M and 6.21% Y/Y and are trending down.
Auction values slipped 2.3% M/M and 5.83% Y/Y and are trending down.

Chart showing current inventory, asking value, and auction value trends for used telehandlers.

Obtain the Full Reports

For more information or to receive detailed analysis from Sandhills Global, contact us at [email protected].

About the Sandhills Equipment Value Index

The Sandhills Equipment Value Index (EVI) is a principal gauge of the estimated market values of used assets—both currently and over time—across the construction, agricultural, and commercial trucking industries represented by Sandhills Global platforms, including AuctionTime.com, TractorHouse.com, MachineryTrader.com, TruckPaper.com, and other industry-specific equipment platforms. Powered by Value Insight Portal (VIP+), Sandhills’ proprietary asset valuation tool, Sandhills EVI provides useful insights into the ever-changing supply-and-demand conditions for each industry.