Preliminary North America Classes 5-7 net orders rose 27% year-over-year to 20,200 units in September, according to ACT Research. Medium-duty order activity has averaged 19,500 units per month in 2026, just above the long-term average, as the segment continues to rebound from a very weak 2025. Complete industry data for September, including final order results, will be published by ACT Research in mid-October.

“Medium-duty’s recovery this year appears to be more of a reversion to the mean than robust growth, with dealer inventory stocking ahead of upcoming regulatory costs in 2027 likely behind some of the recent order strength,” said Carter Vieth, Research Analyst at ACT Research. “The resilience of the US economy and still-strong consumer spending, despite rising inflationary pressures, have also aided medium-duty demand in 2026.”

ACT’s State of the Industry: Classes 5-8 Vehicles report provides a monthly look at the current production, sales, and general state of the on-road heavy and medium duty commercial vehicle markets in North America. It differentiates market indicators by Class 5, Classes 6-7 chassis and Class 8 trucks and tractors, detailing activity-related measures such as backlog, build, inventory, new orders, cancellations, net orders, and retail sales. Additionally, Class 5 and Classes 6-7 are segmented by trucks, buses, RVs, and step van configurations. The Class 8 market is segmented into trucks and tractors, with and without sleeper cabs. The report includes a six-month industry build plan, a backlog timing analysis, historical data from 1996 to the present in spreadsheet format, and a ready-to-use graph package. A first-look at preliminary net orders is also published in conjunction with this report.