Buying a truck this year means buying into rules and prices that are still moving. Before you decide which trucks to replace and which to keep, look at what each one has actually been doing. Tracking data will not make the decision for you, but it removes most of the guessing.
A freight recession that started in mid-2022 has hit equipment hard. New Class 8 tractor registrations fell 16% in 2025, according to S&P Global Mobility figures reported in the State of Sustainable Fleets 2026 Market Brief. On top of that, two things are pushing the price of a new truck up.
The first is tariffs. A 25% tariff on imported medium and heavy-duty trucks and truck parts took effect in November 2025. Trucks that qualify under USMCA are only taxed on the part of their value that is not made in the United States.
The second is the EPA's 2027 engine rule, which cuts the NOx limit to 0.035 grams per brake horsepower hour, roughly 80% below today's limit.
In July 2026 the EPA proposed keeping the tighter NOx limit but cutting the emissions warranty on new heavy-duty engines from 450,000 miles or 10 years to 100,000 miles or five years. The agency's own estimate is that this would lower the price of a new diesel truck by roughly $4,000 to more than $6,000, depending on class. Public comments closed on August 29, and a final rule was expected before the end of the year.
Truck makers did not wait for it. By early October, FleetOwner reported that several were already taking 2027 orders before the final rule was out. FTR Transportation Intelligence estimated that a fully compliant 2027 engine could add $8,000 to $12,000 to a truck, while the nonconformance penalty route some engine makers plan to use could add $6,000 to $7,000.
Those are estimates, and they may have moved by the time you read this. Check the current status with your dealer before you sign an order. We install telematics. We do not sell trucks, and we are not going to tell you which engine to buy.
A decision about one truck gets easier when you can lay it next to the others. These are the five things we would compare:
| What you see | What it suggests |
|---|---|
| High hours, repeat fault codes, rising repair bills | Strongest candidate to replace |
| Low hours, few codes, steady fuel economy | Cheapest to keep while the rules settle |
| Sits most weekdays | Ask whether you need the truck before you replace it |
| Fuel economy slipping, no fault codes | Check maintenance before blaming age |
This is a way to sort a list, not a formula. The final call belongs to you and your mechanic.
Keeping a truck longer means you want to hear about problems before they strand it. Heavy trucks commonly use a 6-pin or 9-pin diagnostic connector instead of the OBD-II port found on pickups and vans, so the install needs the right harness and should be done by a professional. We can supply the equipment and install it at your yard.
If you replace the truck instead, the tracker does not have to go with it. We cover moving the device to the replacement truck here.
Tracking data will not tell you what the final EPA rule says, what a dealer will quote, or whether you can get a build slot. It will not replace your mechanic's opinion either. What it does is give you hours, codes and usage numbers for each truck, so the decision gets made on facts instead of a feeling that the old truck has been around forever.
We cannot answer that one, because it depends on your dealer's quote and the condition of your trucks. What we can say is that waiting is not risk free either. As of early October 2026 the rules were not final, and surcharge-free 2026 heavy-duty engine slots were effectively sold out.
Start with the oldest trucks and the ones that idle or run a PTO the most, since those are the likeliest to land on the replace list. Call us and we will help you pick the first few.
Usually yes, and we can do it as part of the swap. Our article on removals and reinstallation explains how it works.
We install GPS and telematics across Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Alabama, Florida and Mississippi, and we come to your yard so the truck is only down for the install itself. We can start with just your oldest two or three trucks and see what the numbers say.
Get a free quote from API Signal → or call/text 803-513-1009.
Sources: State of Sustainable Fleets 2026 Market Brief (TRC, May 2026), Transport Topics (July 2026), Rush Truck Centers (July 31, 2026), FleetOwner (October 7, 2026), Fleet Equipment. Figures are estimates reported by those sources and may have changed.
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We install GPS, dash cams and telematics across GA, SC, NC, TN, VA, AL, FL & MS, at your yard, on your schedule.