LAS VEGAS- Canadian and U.S. truckers continue to need and order more trucks, but used truck registrations still outnumber new registrations, according to IHS Automotive.

Gary Meteer, director, commercial vehicle solutions for vehicle industry analyst firm IHS Automotive said that the business community largely drives the recovery in the commercial vehicle market in the U.S. and Canada.

U.S. businesses account for more than 90 percent of new vehicle registrations so far this year and the south and central regions of the country are the strongest markets, representing more than 62 percent of new vehicle registrations so far in 2014, truckinginfo.com reports from the Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo in Las Vegas. In Canada, Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec account for more than 87 percent of new commercial vehicle registrations and additional growth is expected.

Age of Fleets on the Rise

Class 8 vehicles continue to dominate both the U.S. and Canadian commercial vehicle markets, with more than a 50-percent share of new registrations in the U.S. and even greater share in Canada, at more than 60 percent, according to IHS figures.There are more than one million Class 4 through 8 vehicles in operation in Canada, with Ontario and Quebec accounting for almost half of the total commercial vehicles in operation in the country.

IHS Automotive also reported that the average age of commercial vehicles in the fleet is shifting. In 2007, the average age among Class 4 through Class 8 vehicles was 12.5 years, but today it is 14.7 years, with Class 6 vehicles averaging 20.9 years, the highest in the fleet. Conversely, Class 5 vehicles have an average age of 11.9 years, the newest in the commercial fleet.

“However, with the overall market recovery, Class 5 straight trucks and chassis cabs have been in high demand for modifications and use in the wholesale, retail and service industries,” Meteer said. “In the current calendar year, the demand for Class 5 vehicles is at record levels.”