Class 8 truck orders continued in above-expectations mode in August. Total net orders were 25,363 units. Classes 5-7 net orders rose to a four-month high of 18,012.
These results were published in the latest State of the Industry report, recently released by ACT Research Co. (ACT). The report covers Classes 5 through 8 vehicles for the North American market.
“Through the middle of the third quarter, conditions remained favorable for continued healthy commercial vehicle demand,” says Kenny Vieth, ACT’s president and senior analyst. “Following one of the best order months cycle-to-date, August’s Class 8 orders were 16% below July, but were up 30% compared to last year. Through year-to-date August, Class 8 orders have been booked at a 336,600 unit annual rate.
Concerning Classes 5-7 net orders, Vieth says that compared to August 2013, truck orders were up 15% and RVs were up 8%, while buses were down 20%. “Orders and backlogs are trending sideways, and production has remained fairly steady,” he says.