We know auto makers are having a tough time of it but what about truck makers?

[Winterblues]

I am talking about Freightliner, and International, and Peterbilt, and well I can't think of all their names but the eighteen wheelers, actually the truck part is ten wheels but these are the vehicles that haul most of America's freight. Are there any that are more fuel efficient than others and are those selling better? Did the big spike in fuel effect their sales as well? Is there anything on the horizon for a more fuel efficient "big rig"? This part of America's problem is never discussed here.

[NightWatcher]

1. Great Dane, who makes trailers for trucks is closing their plant here

truckers are not buying trailers and reefers

[HillbillyBob]

2. Volvo truck plant and the Thomasville school bus

plant had announce they were closing or cutting back..I cannot remember which was which but it accounts for around 1200 jobs in Thomasville and Greensboro for starters.
There have been so many different plants around NC that have either closed altogether or deep cuts over the last 6 years that I have lived in NC.
My partner works for a company that does software for big truck carriers to track maintenance, He should be able to hang on to his job because when the economy takes a dump these cargo carriers take more care of their current stock of trucks as they will not be buying new ones.

[uncle ray]

3. it was volvo a few months back

that announced their sales were down something like 97%.

[david_vincent]

4. Sterling, a couple of months ago, announced

that they're closing all of their plants in the US and Canada and moving their entire North American operation to Mexico... another triumph for NAFTA.