BELLEVUE, WA – Truck maker Paccar Inc. reported a $378.4-million profit, up from $273.9 million a year earlier.

The parent of Peterbilt and Kenworth expects Class 8 truck retail sales for the U.S. and Canada in 2015 to be in a range of 260,000 to 290,000 vehicles, compared to the 250,000 vehicles sold in 2014.

“We will see a reasonably good demand for trucks in the foreseeable future,” Paccar Chief Executive Ron Armstrong said on Tuesday during a conference call with analysts. “As long as the economy continues at a good growth pace, there will be the need for the movement of goods. Freight numbers continue to be at or near record levels.”

Paccar said its truck sales during the quarter rose 13 percent to $3.77 billion and pre-tax profit from trucks soared 60 percent to $339.1 million. Revenue including the company’s financing arm climbed 10.3 percent to $4.83 billion.

After years of sluggish demand for trucks, truck sales have been running at the highest level since 2006. Industry analysts are uncertain whether the rise in truck demand stems from trucking companies expanding their fleets, or simply replacing older, high-mileage vehicles with newer models with better fuel economy.

Paccar’s Armstrong said some of the increased demand is the result of fleet expansions to accommodate rising freight volumes that have been aided by lower diesel fuel prices.

Paccar said its first-quarter truck deliveries in the U.S. and Canada rose 31 percent from a year earlier.