Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/655308
22 // OWNER OPERATOR // APRIL 2016 By Jason Cannon Broker Basics USED COMMERCIAL TRUCKS FETCHING ABOUT 8% LESS THAN LAST YEAR R etail data for the month of January shows the average of 2012-2014 model years sleeper tractors sold for $6,437 less money versus the year before, a drop of 8.1 percent. Older trucks are baring the brunt of the downturn according to J.D. Power data, with fi ve year-old units averaging down almost 17 percent ($9,680) and four year-old units averaging down 10 percent ($7,682). Three year-old units are mostly fl at at an increase of $229. J.D. Power commercial truck senior analyst Chris Visser says price decreases can be attributed to depreciation of the highest- volume models that have been running through auctions for the past six to nine months. "In January of 2015, the lowest-priced fi ve year-old sleeper tractor reported sold brought $40,000," he says. "In January of 2016, the lowest reported sale was $19,250." Visser adds trucks of each model year continue to depreciate at roughly 4 percent per month, which he expects to continue in the short term. OO