Diamond Cos., a holding company for International brand truck and bus dealerships, will merge with Roberts Truck Center, effective Jan. 1, the companies said.

Penske Automotive Group said it will buy an Australian truck distributor that sells a variety of truck brands for $200 million.

Used-truck sales slumped in late 2012, but last week’s “fiscal cliff” agreement created hope that a catch-up effect could buoy sales, industry officials said.

American Truck Dealers named six finalists for its 2013 Truck Dealer of the Year competition.

North American trucking fleets ordered 22,500 new Class 8 vehicles in February, a 7.3% decrease from last February and the second straight monthly decline, ACT Research reported. However, truck dealers told Transport Topics they were not concerned a downward trend had begun.

Wholesale used Class 8 truck dealers have seen more of a drop-off in their business than retailers and auctioneers because of the difficulty of getting product, but the used truck market could get some relief from trade-ins resulting from burgeoning new truck sales, according to ACT Research Co. and some dealers.

Manufacturers and sellers of heavy-duty trucks will take stock of industry and the economy at the annual American Truck Dealers Association meeting in Las Vegas, Feb. 3-6.

Nextran Corp. has purchased Premier Truck Centers, with locations in Birmingham, Tuscumbia and Madison, Ala. Terms were not released.

The American Truck Dealers held its annual convention in Phoenix this month, with members cheerful over the economic rebound but increasingly leery of pending federal regulations.