Auto Rental News
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Overall Fleet Sales Down 25% in January

Total fleet sales for the month — which is comprised of commercial, rental, and government sales — came in at 153,372, which represented a 25.5% drop from the same time last year. 

February 11, 2021
Overall Fleet Sales Down 25% in January

Total fleet sales for the month — which is comprised of commercial, rental, and government sales — came in at 153,372, which represented a 25.5% drop from the same time last year.

Photo: Pixabay

2 min to read


Commercial fleet sales through January 2021 were down 10.8% compared to same time last year, according to sales data from nine manufacturers, though the month had to compete with a strong January 2020 market that was pre-pandemic.

The decline in commercial fleet sales saw its most significant drop in for the car segment, down 38.6%, year-over-year, though sedans represent the smallest segment volume for commercial fleets. Meanwhile, the truck and SUV segment saw a 8.3% decline. Total commercial fleet sales in January were at 50,363 units.

Ad Loading...

Total fleet sales for the month — which is comprised of commercial, rental, and government sales — came in at 153,372, which represented a 25.5% drop from the same time last year. 

The rental and government fleet segments also both saw overall declines for the month of January 2021.

For rental fleets, there was a 32.6% overall decline in fleet sales during the month, according to sales data. Through January, rental fleet car sales fell by a drastic 15.6%, totaling 35,189 units. Truck and SUV segment sales decreased 40.7% at 52,625 units. 

Meanwhile, government fleets also saw declines for each segment. There was a 58.1% decline in cars sold to government fleets in January, and an 18% decline in the truck and SUV segment. Combined, truck, SUV, and car vehicle sales for government fleets amounted to 14,565 units, which reflected a 20.6% decline.

Originally posted on Automotive Fleet

More Rental Operations

Light blue horizontal bar graphs on a chart showing World Cup-related rental car booking trends.
Rental OperationsJune 23, 2026

World Cup Travel Data Shows Longer Car Rentals and More One-Ways

A recent analysis of FIFA bookings found varied demand patterns that influenced rental car pricing.

Read More →
Side view of ICRS speaker Sanchit Garg at podium in front of a floor lit red curtain
Rental Operationsby Martin RomjueJune 22, 2026

A Leveling Force: AI Morphs Into A Rental Car Profit-Seeker

Revenue managers can’t match the emerging AI tools gobbling lots of data that could counter the competitive race to the rate bottom.

Read More →
Photos of Martin Romjue and Denis Gjoni on opposite sides of large headline for the video.
Rental Operationsby Martin RomjueJune 17, 2026

Stop Losing Money On Rental Tolls

Regardless of your rental fleet size and structure, fleet managers, executives, and owners can gain valuable insights into an often-overlooked area of fleet operations.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Richard Lowden gesturing on stage in front of a red curtain at the Gaylord Texan Resort near Dallas.
Rental Operationsby Martin RomjueJune 12, 2026

Rethink The Future To Avert A Race To The Bottom

Rental car operators heard a sobering industry message and a stern challenge at the close of the International Car Rental Show.

Read More →
John Possumato holding microphone while asking a question during a live conference session at the ICRS Show.

DriveItAway, Free2move Plan Shared Fleet Program for Independent Rental Fleet Operators

Vehicles would be placed with participating rental operations to support car renter demand and provide additional fleet capacity.

Read More →
Close-up of a Jeep Wrangler front grille and headlight with text noting Stellantis’ recall of 1.3 million Jeep vehicles worldwide over a potential fire risk tied to power steering wiring.
Fleet Acquisitionby StaffJune 10, 2026

Stellantis Recalls 1.3 Million Jeep Vehicles Worldwide Over Fire Risk

Stellantis is recalling more than 1.3 million Jeep Wrangler and Gladiator models worldwide over a fire risk linked to power steering pump wiring.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Franchisee standing with yellow U-Save branded sign in front of the rental car outlet.

Green Motion And U-Save Open Rental Operations In Guatemala

The brands will open their first rental car outlets in the country at La Aurora International Airport in Guatemala City.

Read More →
An airplane parked at a gate next to large headline and bullet points about study highlights.

U.S. Business Travel Drives $623 Billion+ in Economic Impact as Spending Reaches $538 Billion

The data also underscores the industry’s strong multiplier effect across the U.S. economy, revealing that each dollar invested in business travel in 2024 generated $1.16 in GDP.

Read More →
Green and black bar graphs show May 2025 v. 2026 fleet vehicle sales into commercial, rental, and government fleet sectors.
Fleet Acquisitionby Martin RomjueJune 3, 2026

Rental Fleet Sales Skating Just Above 2025 Levels

The U.S. economy's continued growth and positive business investment are creating a favorable environment for fleet vehicle demand.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Interviewer Martin Romjue and guest Ryan Kerzner on both sides of a title page with large lettering.
Rental Operationsby Martin RomjueJune 3, 2026

Grow Your Rental Business Beyond Cars

Rental fleet operations are facing numerous evolving challenges and opportunities from AI technology to rate and revenue management, to customer service and business growth.

Read More →
Ad Loading...