According to preliminary data from ACT Research, for the month of July, 25,000 new Classes 5-8 vehicle orders were booked. Of those, Class 8 garnered 10,500 orders and for Classes 5-7, 14,500 orders were placed.

“In line with the two-speed U.S. economy of healthy consumers and weak industrial activity, the two-speed commercial vehicle story continued to unfold in July,” said Kenny Vieth, ACT’s president and senior analyst. “Medium duty orders remained on trend, while Class 8 orders continued to soften.”

Vieth said that some of the softness is related to seasonality. Through the course of the year, the July-September period marks the low ebb for Classes 5-8 vehicle orders.

“Seasonally adjusted, the aggregate order volume for Classes 5-8 was 29,200. However, July’s demand was nevertheless the lowest monthly volume, actual or seasonally adjusted, since September 2010,” Vieth said.