wheels of fortune

Sales of Class 8 trucks were up over 40 percent for the first seven months of the year, according to Ward's Communications. Total sales of big rigs rose to over 107,000, which is some 30,000 more than were sold during the same period in 2003.

In July, sales also climbed to their highest monthly level in four years—up 29.5 percent from July of 2003, as truck manufacturers sold 17,338 big rigs compared to 13,386 the year before. July also marked the ninth consecutive month of increases.