Preliminary North America Class 8 net orders totaled 13,500 units in October, down 45% year-over-year, according to ACT Research. The decline reflects a combination of unresolved regulatory questions ahead of EPA 2027 implementation, ongoing cost pressures, and midterm political uncertainty, despite continued strength in spot freight rates. Complete industry data for October, including final order results, will be published by ACT Research in mid-November.

Medium-duty demand showed resilience, with preliminary Classes 5-7 net orders rising 14% year-over-year to 18,000 units in October, continuing the segment’s recovery from last year’s soft volumes.

Separately, FTR reported Class 8 preliminary year over year net decline of 36% to 15,600. FTR noted results likely "reflect ongoing uncertainty about the Environmental Protection Agency’s 2027 NOx regulations and their impact on model year (MY) 2027 truck pricing and production schedules."

“While spot rates remain supportive of equipment demand, the lack of clarity around EPA 2027 rules and associated costs has left OEMs and fleets unable to plan for next year,” said Carter Vieth, Research Analyst at ACT Research. “It’s not a lack of desire for new equipment holding fleets back, but rather the inability to make informed investment decisions in the face of regulatory and economic uncertainty.”

ACT’s State of the Industry: NA Classes 5-8 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 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, while Class 8 is segmented by trucks and tractors with and without sleeper cabs. This report includes a six-month industry build plan, 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.