Used Truck Auction Values Climb as Freight Slump Eases, Attendance Rises

The freight recession’s drag on used truck prices is easing, with auction attendance and equipment values rising in early 2026 as small carriers return to buying. Taylor & Martin, which sells nearly 20,000 units annually, says the uptick began after spot rates edged higher in January. Owner-operators who sat out the prior two years are now purchasing trucks, aiming to deploy them quickly. “If people feel like they can make a living, they are in,” said Steve Oliver, vice president at Taylor & Martin. The auction house has also expanded its Total Trust Protection program—verifying VINs and titles—to address remote-buying risks that grew during the pandemic. Used truck values had been depressed after the 2022 peak, when a Volvo 860 fetched as much as $250,000, about $50,000 above new. Oliver expects constrained new-truck production and pent-up demand to push used prices higher, potentially allowing pandemic-era buyers to recover losses.