Amid further tightening of capacity in the freight market, used truck volumes were mixed and pricing was mostly stable in May, signifying the secondary market has potentially turned the corner entering the summer months, J.D. Power announced Friday in its June 2026 Commercial Truck Guidelines report.
The auction market was the strongest channel in the month from a volume perspective. Pricing was best in the short-term for the wholesale space and year over year for the retail market, though the latter does have some vulnerabilities, the company reports.
J.D. Power reports auction volumes were up 36.2% from April and 3.3% against May 2025, the second consecutive notable increase in sales. This in turn led to a slippage in price, down 3.2% against April and 4.3% year over year. Year-to-date auction pricing is down 1.6%.
Conversely, the wholesale market saw prices rise by 6.7% month over month while retail pricing was down 1.3% against April (though up 2.9% against 2025). Monthly depreciation in the channels is running at 1.1% for the retail market 0.8% for the wholesale space. Auction depreciation is slightly higher at 1.6%.
In the retail sector, J.D. Power states volumes were down 0.4 trucks per rooftop month over month but remained up 0.6 trucks higher against May 2025 and 1.4 trucks year-to-date. Advanced retail metrics showed the average age moved slightly downward (three months month over month, unchanged year over year) as “retail demand for trucks older than five years remains limited,” the company says. The average mileage also was down 3.8% against April and 7.5% against May 2025.
In the other channels, wholesale sales are down 0.2 trucks per rooftop year-to-date; auction volumes are down 0.2%.
J.D. Power
In evaluating the market, J.D. Power states, “As of this writing, a de-escalation of the conflict in the Middle East looks possible in the near term. Any resulting decline in refined fuel prices would likely put downward pressure on fuel surcharges and, in turn, spot rates. Given that much of the recent increase in spot rates has been driven by fuel surcharges, lower rates could create a modest headwind for used truck demand and values.”
The company also adds it is monitoring the recent declines in retail sales per store, which had been promising as recently as two months ago.
“It is logical that a spike in late-model used truck purchases coincided with a steep increase in spot rates, and we did not assume sales activity to remain at those elevated levels indefinitely. The decline in volume over the past two months suggests trade-in activity and drivers entering or re-entering the industry are factors with a ceiling,” the company says.
“All that said, the continuing tightening of capacity and utilization are the factors most meaningful to the current pricing environment, and the used truck market has turned the corner.”
For more information, and to read the entirety of this month’s report, please CLICK HERE.
