According to ACT Research, December 2016 dry van orders were up 26% year-over-year, with reefer orders up almost 140% over 2015.

According to ACT Research, December 2016 dry van orders were up 26% year-over-year, with reefer orders up almost 140% over 2015. Despite the solid year-over-year performance, both new and net orders were down 5% from the previous month. Additionally, the impact of higher energy prices was evident in the vocational segments, as flats, dumps and bulk tanks all posted solid month-over-month improvement.

December’s order pace was insufficient to offset weaker orders earlier in the year as net trailer orders for the full year were weaker than last year.

“For the full year, industry net orders of just under 229 [thousand] units were down 28% versus 2015,” said Frank Maly, director of CV transportation analysis and research at ACT. “Dry vans and reefers, both off 30% to 31% year-over-year, were the major factors in that total market performance, although net orders for every trailer category in our group of 10 were down from 2015.”