Net US trailer orders of 28,139 units in August represented a 49% improvement even from July’s uptick—and were up 160% from August 2019, according to this month’s issue of ACT Research’s State of the Industry: U.S. Trailer Report.
Before accounting for cancellations, new orders of 29,000 units were up 46% vs. July, and 96% better year-over-year.
ACT’s U.S. Trailers report provides a monthly review of current U.S. trailer market statistics, as well as trailer OEM build plans and market indicators divided by all major trailer types, including backlogs, build, inventory, new orders, cancellations, net orders and factory shipments. It is accompanied by a database that gives historical information from 1996 to the present, as well as a ready-to-use graph packet, to allow organizations in the trailer production supply chain, and those following the investment value of trailers and trailer OEMs and suppliers, to better understand the market.
“Conversations in recent months have indicated a change in fleet perspective, frequently phrased as more requests for quotes, ongoing negotiations, or a simple statement that ‘the phone is ringing a lot more lately,’” said Frank Maly, director of CV transportation analysis and research at ACT. “That shift started in late June, and we saw a minor gain in orders in July.
“However, it’s still not all sunshine, as August’s orders included a substantial amount of large fleet demand, with strong e-commerce support, which bodes well for dry vans and reefers, but provides minimal benefit for vocational categories. With large fleets seeing better volumes and rates, they may be moving with a more bullish perspective than we perceive, and while trailer OEMs welcome the interest, they are wondering if the recent order strength has ‘legs.’”