According to preliminary estimates from ACT Research, there were 9,950 U.S. net trailer orders in July, down 25% sequentially. Final July volumes will be published later this month.

“Commercial trailer net orders fell over 25% sequentially in July and are less than half of the same month last year. While July is the industry’s weakest order month from a seasonal perspective, the [month-over-month] tumble was more than double that projected by seasonal patterns,” said Frank Maly, ACT’s director of CV transportation analysis and research. “July’s results appear to be impacted by both seasonal and cyclical pressures. New order placement was weak, as fleets continue to evaluate their investment plans in the face of a lackluster economy and resulting impact on both freight rates and volumes.”