Heavy-duty repair shop counter sales and labor rates rose in 2023, per latest data

A new report from the American Trucking Associations’ Technology & Maintenance Council, in partnership with Fullbay, has found that counter sales and labor rates rose significantly in 2023 from the previous year.

Heavy-duty repair shops around the country reported up to a 40% increase in counter sales last year when compared to 2022, while at the same time, labor rates went up approximately $10 per hour, according to the groups’ fourth annual State of Heavy-Duty Repair Report.

“Our most extensive report to date, the fourth annual edition, brims with valuable data and analysis tailored to assist repair shops in optimizing their operations,” said Fullbay CEO Patrick McKittrick. “This all-encompassing report serves as a valuable resource for shop owners and managers, enabling them to benchmark their shop’s key metrics against counterparts nationwide. We take pride in providing transparent and unbiased data, supporting our industry partners and peers in their consideration of heavy-duty vehicle maintenance best practices.”

While the report contains an abundance of data, a preview of its key findings include:

• 45% of respondents reported between 21%-40% increases of counter sales from 2022 to 2023.

• Labor rates increased 9% across the country in 2023 – that equates to a roughly $10 per hour increase.

• Over 40% of respondents reported a net profit between 11% and 20%

• 18% of shops surveyed were pulling in between $1 to $2 million each year, while 12% reported revenue between $250,001 and $500,000.

• 25% of technicians indicated they worked at only three shops throughout the course of their entire career.

“For nearly 70 years, TMC has aided in developing best practices, technology, and maintenance practices to support the heavy-duty repair industry to specify and maintain their fleets more effectively,” said TMC Executive Director Robert Braswell. “There is no shortage of challenges repair shops face, and this annual report is an excellent tool for individuals of all sectors within the industry to use as a guide when faced with those particular challenges on a daily basis.”

Fullbay’s report data is drawn from individual survey responses and real-world shop data. More than 1,000 individuals from the commercial freight, logistics and repair industries completed the survey, while shops across North America, Australia and New Zealand were sampled for authentic shop data. Those surveyed were a combination of both customers and non-customers of Fullbay, while all sampled data went through data masking.