Trailer net orders in March fell 30% month-over-month and 36% year-over-year, according to the most recent report from ACT Research.

“The 2015/16 order season ended not with a bang but a whimper, not entirely surprising given the dramatic front-loading this order season,” said Frank Maly, director of CV Transportation Analysis and Research at ACT. “Long backlogs helped encourage fleets to make quick decisions and although cancellations increased sequentially, the rise was relatively small and appeared to be a selective adjustment to commitments rather than any widespread movement.”

Maly added that seasonal patterns project March to be the backlog peak, but this season’s orders came so early that the backlog peak actually occurred in December 2015.