North American Class 8 net truck orders fell to 17,900 units in February, a 35% drop from the same month last year, according to the latest data from ACT Research.

The industry downturn was attributed to broader economic uncertainty and a pullback in demand from private fleets and for-hire carriers. Tractor orders dropped 42% year over year to 11,200 units.

“Economic uncertainty, fueled by the current administration’s policy and behavior, has largely stalled business planning,” said Carter Vieth, a research analyst at ACT Research. He noted that the steep decline in tractor orders is likely due to fleets pausing capacity expansions after two years of strong demand and continued weak profitability among for-hire carriers.

Vocational truck orders were also down, totaling 6,200 units in February, a 19% year-over-year decline. Vieth said that while early-year expectations were high for vocational demand — bolstered by projected infrastructure spending and incoming EPA regulations — policy shifts and delays in stimulus distribution have created headwinds for the sector.

Medium-duty Class 5-7 orders also declined, falling 13% year-over-year to 16,600 units. ACT said bloated inventories are pressuring new order activity across that segment.

ACT Research publishes monthly updates on North American Classes 5-8 vehicle markets, covering trends in production, sales and overall market conditions.