Operators that run at least 51 trucks predict they will buy more vehicles this year than they did in 2013. In the latest CV Report, large operators said they will take delivery of an average of 33.4 vehicles on contract hire or rental and 60.3 by outright purchases this year.
This bodes well to improve on 2013, which saw a 25% boost in registrations of new trucks weighing more than 3.5-tonne GVW to 52,952.
In 2013, operators running 51-plus vehicle fleets drove the market, taking an average of 29.3 vehicles on contract, 15.6 on extended rental and 49.5 purchased outright. Across the board, an average of 22.3 new vehicles were purchased by operators of all sizes in 2013, up from 11.4 in 2012.
There was also a boom in contract hire and rental, with an average of 19.9 vehicles taken on rental or contract hire, compared with 5.8 in 2012, 6.5 in 2011 and 6.9 in 2010.
Operators with fleets of 51 trucks or more account for 1.1% of the total number of O-licence holders in the country, but run approximately 100,000 vehicles, 29% of the total vehicle parc in the UK.
- Published by Road Transport Media, in partnership with Texaco Lubricants and sponsorship from Continental Tyres, the report, in its fourth year, analyses the UK CV and road transport industry. Go to motortransport.co.uk/cvreport to download the report for free, after a one-off registration.
