There are warning signs ahead for the used commercial vehicle market.

The latest data from Work Truck Solutions shows a “significant tightening” in new‑vehicle availability during the first quarter of 2026, leading to indications of “friction” coming to the used market.

The company’s Q1 2026 Commercial Vehicle Market Analysis report found the average final price for used work trucks and vans rose to $38,685, up 4.8% quarter-over-quarter and 6.3% from Q1 last year, while inventory (down 3.6% QOQ and YOY) and sales (down 9.1% QoQ and YoY) declined.

All that led to a 12.7% jump both QOQ and YOY in days to turn, which stood at 62 days at the end of Q1.

Those less-than-optimal results for the used sector were in large part the result of a substantial fall in average on‑lot inventory for new commercial vehicles, which sank 20.7% from Q4 2025 and 21.2% year-over-year, and not coincidentally, new sales also dropped 25.8% from Q4.

“With new-vehicle availability slowing, fleets have begun to hold on to their trucks and vans longer,” the report said. “The results for the used-vehicle market include higher prices, higher mileage, fewer options and more cautious buyers.”

Work Truck Solutions CEO Aaron Johnson said the numbers show the commercial vehicle market is “clearly shifting,” noting “reduced [new] inventory is beginning to ripple into the used market, where higher prices and rising days to turn reflect growing friction.”

While Johnson said it’s too early to draw firm conclusions, he noted some of those patterns are “consistent with the early effects of upstream cost and sourcing pressures, including those related to recent tariff activity.

“These kinds of shifts often begin subtly, showing up first in inventory flow and downstream pricing. Commercial dealers who stay proactive — leveraging digital merchandising, optimizing inventory visibility and maintaining strong buyer engagement — will be best positioned to navigate whatever comes next.”

Beginning with the current report, Work Truck Solution introduced a new rotating quarterly feature spotlighting a specific commercial vehicle segment. For Q1, the focus was on the commercial van category, showing demand significantly higher for used cargo vans and box vans while new sales decreased, but steep drop in sales of used step vans as prices soared.