Commercial Fleet Sales Start Strong in 2020
Commercial fleet sales from nine manufacturers totaled 56,441 in January 2020, which represented a 3.7% year-over-year increase.

Sales of sedans were down to start off the year, continuing off declines seen in the last few months of 2019. Trucks, however, saw continued growth year-over-year.
Photos courtesy of Ford, GM, FCA, and Nissan.
Commercial fleet sales from nine manufacturers totaled 56,441 in January 2020, which represented a 3.7% year-over-year increase.
Sales of sedans were down to start off the year, continuing off declines seen in the last few months of 2019. Trucks, however, saw continued growth year-over-year.
Combined, the auto manufacturers sold 4,584 cars, which was a 22.7% decline year-over-year. The combined truck segment commercial fleet sales total in January 2020 was 51,857, which represented a 6.9% year-over-year improvement, according to Automotive Fleet data.
Meanwhile, government fleet sales from five manufacturers totaled 18,341, a 1.5% increase compared to the same time in January 2019.
Sales of sedans were also down for government fleets, while the truck segment continued to be strong. Sedan sales totaled 1,169, which represented a 62.4% decline over the same time in 2019. Truck sales, however, were up 14.7% year-over-year at 17,172.
The daily rental market saw similar trends in January 2020, which was the opposite of what the segment saw in December 2019.
Sedan sales into daily rental from the nine manufacturers totaled 42,447, which was 25.1% lower on a year-over-year basis. Truck segment sales into daily rental totaled 88,697, which was 0.5% higher on a year-over-year basis.
Total sales into daily rental amounted to 131,144, which was 9.5% less than the same period in 2019.
More Vehicle Research

How One Fleet Manager Put a New Spin on Safety Training
Joe Lewis turned a pre-trip inspection lesson into an AI-assisted song, then four safety albums. The experiment also revealed why human oversight matters when AI enters driver training.
Read More →
2027 Ram ProMaster City Starts Under $40K
Ram is returning to the smaller commercial van market with a new ProMaster City aimed at delivery, service, trade, and passenger applications. Starting at $39,995 with destination, the 2027 van offers up to 2,000 pounds of towing capacity, more than 2,000 pounds of payload, and multiple cargo and passenger configurations.
Read More →
New Tariff Threats & a Leadership Change at Wheels | AF News Recap
A new tariff threat is creating more uncertainty for fleet ordering, Wheels has named a new president, and we’re asking whether certification is really worth the investment.
Read More →
Certification: What’s in It for the Fleet Manager?
From smarter fleet decisions to stronger career credibility, certification can give fleet managers knowledge they may never gain inside a single operation.
Read More →
Wheels Names Matthew Cole President
Cole brings more than 30 years of automotive and technology experience to the fleet management company, including leadership roles at Aptiv, Visteon and Johnson Controls.
Read More →
AI is changing what fleet managers can build & 849,000 vehicles recalled | AF News Recap
Fleet managers are learning how to build their own AI-powered tools, Stellantis is recalling nearly 849,000 vehicles, and this year’s Fleet Manager of the Year finalists have been revealed. Additionally, we’re examining how to identify repairs that warrant a second look. Here’s what you need to know this week.
Read More →
Geotab Study Finds $105M Opportunity in Reducing Fleet Idling
A study of more than 2.6 million commercial vehicles found that targeting the worst-performing fleet vehicles could save 24.2 million gallons of fuel annually.
Read More →
Stellantis Recalls Nearly 849,000 Vehicles for Rearview Camera Issue
Nearly 849,000 Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram vehicles are affected by a software issue that can prevent the rearview camera image from appearing. Stellantis plans to address the issue through an over-the-air software update.
Read More →
2027 Jeep Grand Cherokee Adds Upland, Trailhawk and Overland Trims
The 2027 Grand Cherokee lineup adds new trim options, updated standard technology and a choice of V6 or turbocharged four-cylinder powertrains.
Read More →
The Tools Are Smarter, but Are Your Fleet Strategies? | AF News Recap
From a fleet manager’s critical first 90 days to why more technology doesn’t automatically mean better safety, this week is all about turning tools into results.
Read More →