Bloomberg reported that North American truck makers are poised for a third year of sales gains as the economic recovery forces fleet owners to replace aging vehicles.

According to the report, shipments of Class 8 trucks  may rise 12% in 2012 to more than 285,000 units, according to industry consultant FTR Associates. That follows gains of 65% and 29% the past two years as the industry rebounded from a recession-low of 120,000 in 2009.
 
The report also cites that the backlog is five to six months and will rise to seven months this year as manufacturers rush to meet growing demand, according to Noel Perry, a managing director with Nashville, Indiana-based FTR. A nine-month lag is typical in a “hot market,” he said.
 
Truckers are seeking to refresh fleets largely composed of vehicles bought from 2004 to 2006 ahead of a 2007 emissions regulation. Those trucks, in use beyond the usual five years or 500,000 miles, now help compose a nationwide fleet that’s among the oldest since at least 1980.