Preliminary North American Class 8 net orders dropped to 16,000 units in March, an 8.3% decline from a year earlier, according to ACT Research.

Final industry data for March will be released in mid-April.

“The first quarter of 2025 has been defined by one word: uncertainty,” said Carter Vieth, research analyst at ACT Research. “Whether the slowdown in orders is a result of moderating economic activity, private fleets pausing expansion, or a response to trade and policy uncertainty remains an open question.”

Seasonally adjusted, Class 8 orders rose slightly from February, up 1.1% to 16,500 units. That figure represents a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 198,000 units, one of the lowest one-month SAAR readings in nearly three years.

Orders for medium-duty trucks (Classes 5-7) were estimated at 18,600 units, down 33% from March 2024. However, seasonally adjusted figures showed a 6.2% increase month-over-month, totaling 16,800 units at a 201,000-unit SAAR.

ACT Research provides monthly analysis of North America’s commercial vehicle market, including production, sales, backlog, inventory and retail activity across Classes 5 through 8.