Preliminary North America Class 8 net order data show the industry booked 22,100 units in October, up 74% from September, while Classes 5-7 orders fell 12% M/M, to 16,400 units.

These numbers are preliminary. Complete industry data for October, including final order numbers, will be published by ACT Research in mid-November.

“The North American commercial vehicle industry kicked-off ‘order season’ in an encouraging fashion, with preliminary order activity rising to a six-month high in October,” said Kenny Vieth, ACT president and senior analyst. “Class 8 orders were the star of October, rising to an 11-month high. While freight market conditions remain weak, the market is arguably benefiting from a substantive change in the ‘must-have’ tractor spec: AMT, ADAS, and superior fuel economy are considerations to offset weakness in the top-line.”

Regarding the medium duty market, Vieth explained, “The fade that started in medium-duty orders during the summer lingered into the start of Q4, and if the preliminary order read stands as printed, October will represent a 40-month order low.”

ACT’s State of the Industry: Classes 5-8 report provides a monthly look at the current production, sales, and general state of the on-road heavy and medium duty commercial vehicle markets in North America. It differentiates market indicators by Class 5, Classes 6-7 chassis and Class 8 trucks and tractors, detailing measures such as backlog, build, inventory, new orders, cancellations, net orders, and retail sales. Additionally, Class 5 and Classes 6-7 are segmented by trucks, buses, RVs, and step van configurations, while Class 8 is segmented by trucks and tractors with and without sleeper cabs.