DCI Solution’s David DiMaria sat down with Marvin Noll, a member of Floyds Truck sales team, to discuss the current state of the truck business. Floyds operates nine locations in the heartland, including locations in NE, SD, WY, and MT.
If today is any indication, Marvin just got done selling three rigs prior to the interview, so it would seem that business is going well.
Like all business, when COVID hit sales dropped off considerably. Despite COVID still being a major issue, business has started to rebound nicely. Even in an election year when sales are typically soft per Marvin, the demand is good. This includes sleepers, day cabs, and medium duty trucks. Even demand for Sprinters is good, however supply is a challenge. Marvin notes that that should change in 2021.
When asked if demand is good for all classes, he said “Because of the market that Floyds is in, all classes are doing well. We are located off of major trucking interstates so sleepers are doing very well.” They also have locations in farming, ranching, and oil areas so day cabs and medium duty trucks are also doing well. Sprinters have really caught on with electricians, plumbers, and other service industries because of the high roofs, flexible interiors, and reliability.
On autonomous vehicles, Marvin said “They are inevitable but the worry about replacing humans should not be that great of a concern. There is a tremendous shortage of drivers right now. We have plenty of freight to be moved, but nobody to move it. Human drivers will still be needed, at least for the foreseeable future.”
In his market, Marvin deals with more individual operators and small fleets so customizing is more prevalent than with the bigger fleet operators. The accessories market and aftermarket customization continues to be a strong seller for Floyds.
