Trucking Show Vendors Decry Slow U.S. Economy

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img src="/sites/default/files/images/articles/printeditiontag_new.gif" width=120 align=right>LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Mid-America Trucking Show opened here March 20 under the shadow of a truck and equipment market that vendors said was treading water in a slow national economy.

Owner-operators and small-fleet owners prowled the huge Kentucky State Fairgrounds exhibition halls, looking at shiny new trucks, trailers and accessories ranging from polished aluminum wheels to carpet cleaning products for cab interiors.

The night before the show opened, the United States launched its long-expected war against Iraq, underscoring the uncertainty that manufacturers say has weighed down commercial investment decisions and stalled truck sales.

However, vendors here said that if the war is relatively short, the truck market would improve because the expectation of war and rising fuel prices ahead of it had bogged down the economy.

For the full story, see the March 24 edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.