TOLEDO, Ohio (June 8, 2005) — Trucks now account for over half of all vehicle fuel consumed in the U.S., according to a new study.

The U.S. Commercial Fleet Market Forecast, 2004-2008, by Toledo, Ohio-based market research and consulting firm Havill & Company Inc., says that the number of trucks on the road has grown at over twice the rate of the overall vehicle population since the late 1990s.

“The tractor population has actually dropped from the late 1990s to the early 2000s, while the number of sport utility vehicles on the road has risen substantially,” according to Justin Zohn, Havill’s senior consultant.

Between the fall of 2004 and spring of 2005 over 1,100 executive telephone interviews were conducted with fleet administrators across the country. “The concern about rising fuel prices permeates the study. This has heightened the need to find cost savings in virtually every aspect of fleet operations,” Zohn said.

Fuel is only one topic covered in the study. Other topics include: vehicle procurement and leasing; advance vehicle and fuel technologies, including hybrids; onsite and offsite fueling, tires, maintenance, and payment methods; leasing programs; and, fleet administration practices, including safety, insurance, and the use of telematics.

The complete study will be published in August 2005.

— from Truckinginfo.com