According to this month’s issue of ACT Research’s State of the Industry: U.S. Trailers report, with the majority of 2025 in the rearview mirror, the U.S. trailer market remains in “stay afloat” mode, as fleets continue their wait-and-see strategy.
“October’s trailer cancellation rate, as a percentage of backlog, was a more subdued 1.3% versus last month’s overstated 5.6%. Data continued to show elevated cancellations in reefer and tank segments. The largest level of cancels came from the tank segments, attributed to a decline in oil/gas activity, in general,” Jennifer McNealy, director – CV market research and publications at ACT Research, said. “With higher build rates, lower backlogs and two more production days in October, the industry BL/BU ratio remained at 3.3 months for the second consecutive month. October’s build rate and the current backlog commit the industry into mid-Q1/26. Overall, backlog remains at rock-bottom levels with the new year’s orderboards opening.”
