Tough Market for Truck Dealers Amid Rising Sales of Used Farm Equipment
LINCOLN, Nebraska — December 4, 2025
Recent market data from Sandhills Global reveals a challenging environment for used truck dealers, while sales of used agricultural machinery have seen a modest increase. The heavy machinery market remains sluggish, and some dealers are shifting their focus towards rentals. These reports encompass used trucks, trailers, farm machinery, and construction equipment featured on platforms such as TruckPaper.com, TractorHouse.com, and MachineryTrader.com.
According to Scott Lubischer, Manager of Truck Paper, “day cabs are currently facing the toughest market conditions.” He notes that aging inventory continues to escalate, encouraging dealers to adjust their prices to align with the changing market. In the used farm equipment sector, Ryan Dolezal, Manager of TractorHouse, mentions that with year-end approaching, sales are showing a mild increase, generating some optimism, although they remain sluggish compared to previous years. Competitively pricing is crucial.
The Sandhills Equipment Value Index (EVI) serves as a key metric in the market reports. It provides valuable information to buyers and sellers for tracking market trends related to equipment acquisition and liquidation decisions. Data in the EVI includes equipment available in both auction and retail settings, as well as active model-year equipment, where the EVI spread indicates the percentage variance between asking and auction prices.
Market Overview
The Sandhills market reports emphasize critical changes within the used heavy-duty truck, semi-trailer, farm machinery, and construction equipment sectors. Key findings are summarized below; full reports can be requested for more comprehensive analysis.
U.S. Used Heavy-Duty Trucks
Inventory decreased by 3.63% month-over-month and 11.84% year-over-year in November. The most significant drop was seen in the day cab truck category, down 9.97% month-over-month and 22.64% year-over-year. Asking values also dipped by 1.54% month-over-month, remaining nearly unchanged from last year. Auction prices saw a slight decline as well, down 1.65% month-over-month and 0.8% year-over-year.
U.S. Used Semi-Trailers
In November, the inventory of used semi-trailers saw a negligible month-over-month decrease of 0.04%, while year-over-year figures fell by 10.17%. Asking values increased slightly by 0.93% month-over-month but are still trending downward overall. Auction values had an uptick, despite an ongoing downward trend in this sector.
U.S. Used Medium-Duty Trucks
Inventory for medium-duty trucks fell by 3.75% month-over-month and 5.89% year-over-year. Asking prices increased by 1.58% month-over-month, although they remain in a downward trend over the past 15 months. Auction values showed a reversal, rising by 2.52% month-over-month but decreasing year-over-year by 5.15%.
U.S. Used Tractors and Other Equipment
The inventory of tractors (100 HP and above) continued its downward trend, with a 3.37% month-over-month and 14.64% year-over-year decrease. Asking prices reflected a similar trend with declines continuing for ten consecutive months. Auction values also fell slightly month-over-month. The heavy-duty construction equipment sector similarly saw a dip in inventory, asking, and auction values.
Contact for Full Reports
For further information or to obtain detailed analyses from Sandhills Global, please reach out at [email protected].
About the Sandhills Equipment Value Index
The Sandhills Equipment Value Index (EVI) serves as a primary measure of estimated market values for used assets across the construction, agricultural, and commercial trucking sectors. Utilized through platforms like AuctionTime.com and TractorHouse.com, the EVI provides insights into the fluctuating supply and demand within each industry.
