Class 8 orders rose above 20,000 units for a fifth consecutive month in February, while a surge in step-van orders pushed new medium duty demand above the prevailing trend. This updated status of the North America commercial vehicle market was included in the State of the Industry report, recently released by ACT Research Co. (ACT). The report covers Classes 5 through 8 vehicles for the North American market.

“Class 8 net orders rose to just over 23,000 units,” said Kenny Vieth, ACT’s president & senior analyst. “February was the first month in the past fourteen in which orders rose above year-ago levels. Demand for Classes 5-7 trucks, buses and RVs were generally in line, but step-van orders boosted total orders in February,” he added.

ACT is the leading publisher of new and used commercial vehicle (CV) industry data, market analysis and forecasting services for the North American market, as well as the U.S. tractor-trailer market and the China CV market.