Used truck and trailer inventory kept shrinking in September while prices climbed, according to September data from Sandhills Global, J.D. Power and Price Digests.
In the overall market, truck inventory of used day cab and sleeper trucks fell 2.42% month over month and 36.03% year over year in September, lengthening a decline that has lasted for the 10 months, according to a report from Sandhills Global. Used day cab trucks had the sharpest monthly decline at 4.65%, while sleepers had the largest annual decline at 41.43%.
Used semi-trailer inventory declined 8.05% month over month and 35.33% year over year in September, marking 14 consecutive months of decline. Dry van trailers had the steepest monthly drop (13.15%), and reefers had the steepest annual drop (48.87%).
Asking prices climb as inventory shrinks
While inventory declined, asking values rose. In the heavy-duty truck segment, asking values were rose 2.34% month over month and 0.57%, continuing an upward trend. Sleeper led the gains, up 3.16% month over month and 2.23% year over year.
Trailer asking values rose 1.06% month over month and 7.36% year over year, continuing to trend upward. Flatbed trailers led, gaining 2.74% month over month and 12.45% year over year.
Auction values were mixed on both segments. Truck auction values slipped 0.14% month over month but climbed 4.07% year over year, and remain on an upward trend. Day cabs posted the largest monthly decline (0.15%), while sleepers posted the largest annual gain (6.73%).
Trailer auction prices grew 2.01% month over month and 14.74% year over year, also trending upward. Flatbeds saw the largest monthly increase (3.46%), while reefers saw the largest annual increase (21.89%).
Sleeper prices ease, but remain well above last year
Used sleeper tractors eased slightly in September, but J.D. Power says the late-summer gains held, according to its October 2026 Commercial Truck Guidelines report. Auction selling prices fell 4.9% month over month but remained up 24.8% year over year, while wholesale prices declined 3.4% month over month and rose 5.2% year over year. Retail prices slipped 0.5% from August and were up 9.9% year over year.
J.D. Power said further investigation showed that August’s price increase reflected a market shift, not just an unusual mix of specs in its averages.
Retail sales per rooftop rose 0.2 truck from August and 1.2 trucks from a year earlier, while auction volume dropped 14.1% month over month and was unchanged year over year. J.D. Power expects more 3- to 5-year-old sleepers to return on trade as new truck deliveries catch up with orders.”
“More new drivers entering the industry needed clean used trucks at a time when inventory was tight,” the report said. “Pricing held firm in September, indicating conditions did not change appreciably. Capacity utilization is at a high level, which should mitigate the value implications of increased trade-ins in upcoming months.”
Sleeper values climb across all age groups
Price Digests, owned by Fusable, parent company of CCJ, also saw higher September pricing, with 2-, 5- and 10-year-old sleepers all posting gains from August. The company reports that 2-year-old trucks rose nearly $3,000 to an average of $92,330, their highest level since April. Five-year-old trucks gained just under $2,000 to $54,340, and 10-year-old trucks edged up $110,000 to $25,500.
The 2-year-old segment has stayed well below its February 2025 peak of $102,410, while the 5-year-old line has trended gradually upward since late 2025 and the 10-year-old line has remained mostly flat.
