As reported in this month’s issue of ACT Research’s State of the Industry: U.S. Trailers report, net trailer orders in September soared to 42,700 units, marking a dramatic turnaround from the subdued order activity seen a year ago and driving a 29% month-over-month increase in industry backlogs. The backlog-to-build (BL/BU) ratio jumped 90bps M/M to 5.9 months, signaling a notable commitment of production slots well into 2027.
“What a difference a year makes,” Jennifer McNealy, director – CV market research & publications at ACT Research, said. “Last year, the trailer market was in ‘stay afloat’ mode, but today, we’re seeing a perfect storm of order activity. Customers are moving quickly to get ahead of tariff-driven price increases, carriers are enjoying improved profitability, and pent-up replacement demand is being addressed. With a tighter driver supply and supportive freight rates, fleets now have both the willingness and ability to purchase equipment, leading to a strengthening demand environment where backlogs are rising at a pace not seen since the last upcycle.”
