75% of truck owners tow 1/year or less?

paulsharvey · Sep 27, 2024

So, I saw this just a minute ago. No idea were it's from, or if it's just made up, and if accurate, what they are considering a "truck", is a Rav4 considered a "truck", when it's really a station wagon?

Sure, I do know most people don't haul that much, but...

75% of truck owners tow a trailer 1/year or less

70% go off road 1/year or less

35% haul something in the bed 1/year or less

I am a light truck user, and have went at one point, like 4 years without a truck at all, using a cheap small SUV, a Toyota Highlander, and frankly towed a trailer with it more than many guys with a 3/4T. I've also used wife's Durango to tow a back hoe during that time.

I now am back to having a 1/2T, and probably tow a trailer generally around 6-8/year; and I would guess haul something in the bed larger then would fit in a car trunk something like 30-50/year. If we count having some old oil jugs, tow straps, and general junk in the bed, I'm 100% using the bed.

Anyway; does the picture/meme/whatever seem remotely right?

I will admit, I like my Ram 1500 crew, 4x4, 6'8" bed; but 80% of the time, something like a Canyon/Colorado/Dakota/Ranger would work for me. The funny part is, probably 2-3 times per year, I find I wish I had more Payload capacity (never really more towing) than my Ram (full pallet of quickcrete, block, ect).

Heck, kinda turns my pride a bit, but if forced too; I could probably get by with a Maverick and trailer most of the time (not that I want too)

Not sure what they mean by going off road either? We talking going wheeling; I don't in my truck anymore; but if we talk loose/wet dirt roads, boat ramps, and other non road surfaces, not sand/mud pits, who's staying on a road surface all year?

ultrarunner · Sep 27, 2024

paulsharvey said:
So, I saw this just a minute ago. No idea were it's from, or if it's just made up, and if accurate, what they are considering a "truck", is a Rav4 considered a "truck", when it's really a station wagon?

Sure, I do know most people don't haul that much, but...

75% of truck owners tow a trailer 1/year or less

70% go off road 1/year or less

35% haul something in the bed 1/year or less

I am a light truck user, and have went at one point, like 4 years without a truck at all, using a cheap small SUV, a Toyota Highlander, and frankly towed a trailer with it more than many guys with a 3/4T. I've also used wife's Durango to tow a back hoe during that time.

I now am back to having a 1/2T, and probably tow a trailer generally around 6-8/year; and I would guess haul something in the bed larger then would fit in a car trunk something like 30-50/year. If we count having some old oil jugs, tow straps, and general junk in the bed, I'm 100% using the bed.

Anyway; does the picture/meme/whatever seem remotely right?

I will admit, I like my Ram 1500 crew, 4x4, 6'8" bed; but 80% of the time, something like a Canyon/Colorado/Dakota/Ranger would work for me. The funny part is, probably 2-3 times per year, I find I wish I had more Payload capacity (never really more towing) than my Ram (full pallet of quickcrete, block, ect).

Heck, kinda turns my pride a bit, but if forced too; I could probably get by with a Maverick and trailer most of the time (not that I want too)View attachment 1345835

Not sure what they mean by going off road either? We talking going wheeling; I don't in my truck anymore; but if we talk loose/wet dirt roads, boat ramps, and other non road surfaces, not sand/mud pits, who's staying on a road surface all year?

Maybe they are living the Scout motto… Be Prepared?

My little Samurai tows my box trailer several times a month and off road in the back 40 about the same..

garry1p · Sep 27, 2024

I would say that's close.
People with boats, painters, plumbers, construction workers and farmers use their trucks like trucks others are daily drivers.

travisbb · Sep 28, 2024

I'd guess those statistics aren't crazy, but they are intentionally misleading.

For example, there are lots of tow-only rigs for RVs which never haul cargo in the bed. Or off-roaders which rarely tow. Lots of pickups never leave the asphalt because nobody wants them driving through the park.

Also those three sets aren't likely overlapping. The percentage of pickups which rarely tows **and** rarely go off-road **and** rarely haul cargo is a much smaller number than that picture wants you to believe. But the percentage which regularly does at least one of those three is quite high.

dodge man · Sep 28, 2024

I’m not surprised. I tow more than once a year usually but maybe 3 times on average. Off-road, I have but it’s been a couple years. I definitely haul stuff several times a year.

ericm979 · Sep 28, 2024

Just from trucks I see on the road, if anything the towing/hauling numbers seem high. Yes there are some trucks that are towing or hauling stuff all the time or often. But there are an awful lot of lifestyle trucks that are empty.

bdhsfz6 · Sep 28, 2024

Not surprised at all. When I bought my last pickup, I first looked at used models. I went to several dealers and the beds of ALL the trucks I saw were like new. No rust or dents, and very few scratches in the paint. I asked one of the salesman if they repaint or touch up the beds. He laughed and said they don't have to. 90% of the trades they take come in looking like this.

Birdhunter1 · Sep 28, 2024

And here I sit and often have 2-3 trailers hooked to my truck in a week, sometimes 2-3 in a day and playing musical traliers between jobs. In the bed, feed, seed, toolboxes, hay, gas cans and once in a while a deer or two.

WM75Guy · Sep 28, 2024

Those numbers sound high but it is better to be prepared as Ultrarunner said. My 3500HD is my tow vehicle. With 5 trailers it tows several times a month. It hauls feed several times a month in the bed, plus an occasional trash run to the dump. With the factory spray in bed liner, the bed still looks good. All three vehicles are 4WD/AWD for wintertime, no offroad driving unless you count thru the yard to hook up a trailer or unload feed. The Mule does the offroad stuff.