Truck makers and dealers sold 9,236 Class 8 vehicles in the United States during January, a jump of 25% over January 2010’s pace, but about 2,500 below December’s strong results, WardsAuto.com reported.

CORAL GABLES, Fla. — The recent surge in heavy-duty truck orders will slow as the buying focus shifts from better-capitalized large fleets to smaller carriers that may not be able to afford as much new equipment, industry experts said.

Denny Slagle, CEO of Mack Trucks, will be featured on the television program “Undercover Boss” this Sunday, Feb. 20.

American Trucking Associations last week named Sean McNally as its new vice president of communications and press secretary.

Truckload carrier P.A.M. Transportation Services said its fourth-quarter loss was smaller than a year ago.

Customers bought used Class 8 trucks at such a fast pace last year that they swept dealer lots nearly clean, triggering shortages expected to last for several years and pushing prices up as much as 30%, according to dealers and analysts.

The most important near-term component of our campaign to retain the current hours of service rules is industry involvement.

Profits increased sharply at most of the eight publicly traded truckload carriers that issued earnings reports last week, with gains coming mostly through rate increases rather than volume growth in the uneven, but modestly growing, freight market.

USA Truck reported a loss of $1.8 million, or 17 cents per share, compared with a loss of $2.5 million, or 24 cents, a year ago.

U.S. sales of medium-duty trucks totaled 30,578 in December, a 24.7% increase over the comparable month in 2009 and the highest amount since March 2008, WardsAuto.com reported.