May 2026 Market Report: Used Truck Market Returns to Positive Territory

Used truck pricing has historically tracked freight spot rate movement, at least directionally, and both metrics began turning positive in Q4 of last year with momentum building through Q1 of this year. The spot market's strength is a supply-side phenomenon driven by structural factors rather than a demand-driven freight volume surge.

Sustained rate improvement, healthy retail sales, and stable pricing collectively signal that the used truck market has cycled back into positive territory, notwithstanding ongoing risks from tariff volatility, fuel cost pressures, and policy uncertainty.

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