Truck and trailer sales forecaster FTR Associates has significantly lowered its estimates for 2009 North American truck and trailer sales.

The company said North American Class 8 truck shipments will total around 150,000 while US trailer production will be less than 100,000 units in 2009. The new forecast is based on the expectation of a continuing poor economic environment for trucking, which the company says will continue to depress freight demand throughout 2009.

The group says it feels a recession is unavoidable and demand for trucking services will likely remain weak over the next several quarters. FTR added it does not expect to see a noticeable increase in freight demand until mid-2010.

Eric Starks, president of FTR said: 'We know this forecast will be a blow to many industry participants, but our instinct is to take the information we have and generate as reliable an outlook for equipment build as possible to give our subscribers a true sense of what to expect. We will continue to do that.'