Truck Service Trends Q1 2025 Brakes Surge Power Plants Rise

The trucking industry is undergoing significant changes as service demand continues to rise. Understanding these trends not only helps fleets optimize their operations but also prepares them for future challenges. In this article, we will explore the latest trends in truck service activity, focusing on key areas such as brake services, power plants, and the impact of technology on service visibility.

Service Activity on the Rise

Truck service activity has seen a notable increase, with a reported rise of 10.3% from Q4 2024 and 6.8% year-over-year, according to Decisiv’s exclusive Q1 2025 data. Several factors contribute to this surge, including tariff uncertainty and shifts in freight patterns that have resulted in more tonnage on the roads. Additionally, fleets are holding off on investing in new trucks, leading to increased mileage on older equipment, which directly correlates with higher demand for service.

Nick Pittinger, vice president of data services at Decisiv, noted, “It’ll be interesting to see how different service activity factors affect whether service activity starts to fall due to lower freight volumes or if we continue to see increasing service activity levels from fleets delaying vehicle purchases and putting mileage on older equipment.” This uncertainty highlights the dynamic nature of the trucking industry and the need for fleets to adapt quickly.

Brakes Surge to the Forefront

One of the most significant trends in truck service is the dramatic increase in braking system maintenance. Service activity in Decisiv’s VMRS 013 brakes category has skyrocketed by 93.6% year-over-year. This increase can be attributed primarily to a major ABS recall that extended into Q1. Even when excluding recall work, brake-related services saw a substantial rise:

• A quarter-over-quarter increase of 12%
• A year-over-year increase of 8%

These statistics indicate that brakes are becoming a critical focus for fleets, leading to increased downtime and expenses tied to braking systems. As such, it is essential for fleet managers to monitor brake-related costs closely throughout 2025.

Power Plants Remain Dominant

Power plants have consistently led the service volume, marking the fourth consecutive quarter as the highest service category, accounting for 19.3% of all operations. Other notable categories include:

• Brakes: 14%
• Exhaust systems: 10.6%

Additionally, other systems exhibiting sharp growth include:

• Power take-off (PTO): +13.4%
• General accessories: +11.7%
• Lighting systems: +10.2%

These increases suggest that fleets are experiencing greater wear and usage across vital uptime-critical systems, signaling the need for proactive maintenance strategies.

Identifying Flat Spots and Declines

While some areas are thriving, others are experiencing declines. Four VMRS categories reported decreases in Q1:

• Tires/tubes/liners/valves
• Manual transmissions
• Clutches (notably, this is the only category with consecutive quarterly declines)
• Exhaust systems (despite their overall high share of operations)

The data also reveals that automated manual transmissions (AMTs) have leveled off, indicating a stabilization in service patterns following initial adoption waves. This trend could suggest that fleets are refining their AMT service strategies after addressing the initial repair needs.

AI Enhances Service Data Accuracy

Decisiv's updated VMRS code key 31 A.I. encoding model has significantly improved the accuracy and breadth of service data classification. Pittinger explained, “With our previous version of the model, we were able to get all the way up to like 65% to 75% of operations having an encoded value in that code key 31 system field.” The new model has drastically increased the number of encoded operations across several VMRS systems, such as:

• Lighting
• Brakes
• Tires

This enhancement allows for more precise trend tracking across 25 VMRS categories, providing fleets and dealers with sharper visibility into where service dollars are allocated and how costs are evolving.

Regulatory Changes on the Horizon

As we move further into 2025, regulatory changes are expected to impact service needs significantly. Pittinger pointed out, “Given all of the things that are going on surrounding all the different legislation changes, the engine aftertreatment emissions changes will be super interesting to track in this data going into the next year.”

Fleets must stay informed about upcoming regulations as these changes could necessitate adjustments in maintenance schedules and equipment upgrades. Keeping older equipment compliant will be a priority for many fleets, which will likely drive service demand even higher.

For those interested in a deeper analysis of current trends in the trucking industry, consider watching the video titled "Truck Service Trends Q1 2025: Brakes Surge, Power Plants ..." which offers further insights.

Understanding these emerging trends and preparing for regulatory changes will be crucial for fleets looking to maintain a competitive edge in the evolving market.

JB Poindexter EAVX Enhances Fleet Customization with Engineering Focus

First Kodiak Truck with Driver Technology Delivered to Customer

Truck and trailer dealers report sales decline amid parts service slowdown

ZM Trucks launches new manufacturing facility in Fontana CA

If you want to know other articles similar to Truck Service Trends Q1 2025 Brakes Surge Power Plants Rise you can visit the category DTC TRUCKS.