Preliminary data from ACT Research shows that North American Class 8 truck orders fell to 25,800 units in January, marking a 30% decline from December and a 5% year-over-year drop. Despite the decrease, industry analysts say order activity remains strong.
“While January orders took a step down from the recent trend, strength continues to be the applicable descriptor of Class 8 order activity,” said Kenny Vieth, ACT’s president and senior analyst. “While down narrowly from last January, orders were down 30% against a seasonally stronger December.”
Seasonally adjusted, Class 8 orders declined 22% from December to 23,300 units, equating to a 279,000-unit seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR). Over the past six months, orders have averaged 32,000 units per month on a SAAR basis.
The medium-duty segment also saw a downturn, with preliminary data showing North American Classes 5-7 orders at 15,100 units in January. That figure represents a 21% decline year-over-year and a 10% drop from December.
“MD Classes 5-7 orders continue their slowly deflating trajectory into still historically elevated truck and bus backlogs,” Vieth said.
ACT Research’s State of the Industry: Classes 5-8 Vehicles report provides monthly insights into commercial vehicle production, sales, and industry trends. The report includes market breakdowns for different truck classes, detailing backlog, build rates, inventory levels, and new order trends. It also features a six-month industry build plan and historical data dating back to 1996.
ACT Research is a leading provider of commercial vehicle market analysis for North America and China, supplying insights to truck and trailer manufacturers, suppliers, and financial institutions. The firm contributes to Blue Chip Economic Indicators and is a member of the Wall Street Journal Economic Forecast Panel. ACT Research executives have received industry recognition for economic forecasting accuracy and analysis.
Final Class 8 order figures for January will be published by ACT Research in mid-February. More information can be found at www.actresearch.net.
