August preliminary North America Class 8 net orders were 16,400 units, up m/m but down 16% y/y. Complete industry data for August, including final order numbers, will be published by ACT Research in mid-September.“Class 8 orders remained at... Read Story

Final North American Class 8 net orders totaled 13,465 units in July. Exports and Mexico accounted for 13% of July’s orders, as published in ACT Research’s latest State of the Industry: NA Classes 5-8 report.“The Class 8 backlog fell 13,626 units m/m... Read Story

Preliminary net trailer orders rose about 1,000 units from June to July, but at 7,200 units, were lower compared to last July, down 37 percent y/y. Seasonal adjustment (SA) at this point in the annual order cycle boosts July’s tally to 10,300 units.... Read Story

ACT Research marks 2025 expectations for medium-duty and heavy-duty trucks down sharply this month, even as 2024 forecasts push higher. The biggest driver of Classes 5-7 and Class 8 2024–2025 forecast changes are driven by excessively strong build... Read Story

July preliminary North America Class 8 net orders were 13,400 units, down 8 percent m/m and 13 percent y/y. Complete industry data for July, including final order numbers, will be published by ACT Research in mid-August.“Class 8 orders remained at... Read Story

According to the latest State of the Industry: U.S. Classes 3-8 Used Trucks by ACT Research, the used Class 8 average retail sale price took a big hit in June, slumping 7.6 percent m/m and 20 percent y/y to $54,300 units.“We signaled the price drop... Read Story

June net trailer orders, at 6,300 units, were 19 percent lower year/year, but a mere 275 units above May’s intake. June’s order tally brings Q2 net orders to 26k units (-14 percent from Q2’23) and closes the first half of 2024 with 74.5k net orders... Read Story

The freight market continues to be characterized by overcapacity, and with private fleets engaging in spot activity more than in past cycles, spot rates remain only slightly above the late-2023 lows, according to the latest release of the Freight... Read Story

After last month’s anomalous order number, June’s activity offers a more reflective view of current market conditions, as published in ACT Research’s latest State of the Industry: NA Classes 5-8 report.Final North American Class 8 net orders totaled... Read Story

ACT Research’s U.S. Tractor Dashboard, a metric that provides forward-looking market insight by encompassing variables that take both supply and demand into account, underscores that rather than getting better, the US Class 8 tractor outlook has... Read Story

June preliminary North America Class 8 net orders were 14,800 units, down 37% month/month and 12% year/year. Complete industry data for June, including final order numbers, will be published by ACT Research in mid-July.“Even in good years, Q2... Read Story

According to the latest State of the Industry: U.S. Classes 3-8 Used Trucks by ACT Research, the used Class 8 average retail sale price ebbed 1.5 percent lower m/m to $58,400 in May.“On a year-over-year basis, used retail prices were 15 percent lower... Read Story

Some of the recent Class 8 order strength is likely due to a small amount of prebuying, but overall, May’s orders are likely anomalous, as the industry is in the weakest period of the year for orders, and carrier profitability remains at multicycle... Read Story

May net orders, at 6,100 units, were about 46 percent lower year/year, and 7,650 units below April’s intake. May’s tally brings the YTD net order activity to 68,200 units, 25 percent lower than the first five months of 2023, with its faster paced... Read Story

Trucking data in May were disinflationary—higher truck orders, lower Cass shipments, and stalling spot trends—and show an industry prioritizing planning for emissions rules over cost economics, according to the latest release of the Freight Forecast:... Read Story

Preliminary net trailer orders dropped nominally from April to May, and at 6,000 units, were lower compared to last May, down 46 percent year/year. Seasonal adjustment (SA) at this point in the cycle boosts May’s tally to 7,100 units. Final May... Read Story

Except for Class 8, trailer and Classes 4-7 forecasts were largely unchanged, as published in the latest release of the North American Commercial Vehicle OUTLOOK.“Not only did April build not slow in the face of tough freight fundamentals, falling... Read Story

Counter to expectations, preliminary Class 8 same dealer used truck retail sales volumes continued to increase in May (+7.4 percent), according to the latest preliminary release of the State of the Industry: U.S. Classes 3-8 Used Trucks published by... Read Story

May preliminary North America Class 8 net orders were 23,200 units, up 46 percent m/m and 49 percent y/y on soft comparisons. Complete industry data for May, including final order numbers, will be published by ACT Research in mid-June.“Market... Read Story

According to the latest State of the Industry: U.S. Classes 3-8 Used Trucks by ACT Research, the used Class 8 average retail sale price slid 1.9 percent m/m to $58,900 in April.“On a year-over-year basis, used retail prices were 17 percent lower,”... Read Story

Coming off one of the worst quarters in history for for-hire carriers, as evidenced by a 14-year low in net income amongst publicly traded TL carriers, possible green shoots are emerging. After a year of cost-defying buying by private fleets, ACT... Read Story

Except for trailers, changes to medium duty and Class 8 forecasts this month were small, as published in the latest release of the North American Commercial Vehicle OUTLOOK.“The trailer forecast receives a more substantive haircut this month, driven... Read Story

Preliminary net trailer orders were little changed nominally from March to April. However, at 13,700 units, orders were higher compared to last April, up 21 percent y/y. Seasonal adjustment (SA) at this point in the cycle boosts April’s tally to... Read Story

April preliminary North America Class 8 net orders were 15,600 units, down 1,800 units from March, but 30 percent higher than a very easy year-ago comparison. Complete industry data for April, including final order numbers, will be published by ACT... Read Story

Freight demand is nearing an upturn as growing goods spending, a turning inventory cycle, and rising industrial production will add to freight demand this year. After a two-year downturn, the upturn is likely within a couple of months, according to... Read Story

March trailer net orders, at 13,600 units, were nearly 25 percent lower y/y, and 7k units below February’s intake. This brings Q1’24 net orders to 48.3k units, down 29 percent from Q1’23’s faster paced order environment, with its pent-up demand and... Read Story

Final March Class 8 net orders totaled 17,410 units (17.2k seasonally adjusted), down 8.4 percent year over year. Total Classes 5-7 orders rose 23 percent y/y to 25,359 units (23.4k seasonally adjusted), as published in ACT Research’s latest State of... Read Story

After pushing its 2024 North America Class 8 production forecast up the previous two months, the forecast is left essentially unchanged in April, as published in the latest release of the North American Commercial Vehicle OUTLOOK. While 2024 retail... Read Story

Preliminary net trailer orders decreased nominally from February to March. At 13,600 units, orders also were lower compared to last March, down 24 percent year over year. Seasonal adjustment (SA) at this point in the cycle leaves March’s tally... Read Story

Although the growth rate of preliminary Class 8 same dealer sales volumes slowed in March, it showed no signs of letting up (+3.7 percent), according to the latest preliminary release of the State of the Industry: U.S. Classes 3-8 Used Trucks... Read Story

March preliminary North America Class 8 net orders were 17,300 units, down 10,400 units from February and 18.7 percent from a year ago. Complete industry data for March, including final order numbers, will be published by ACT Research in... Read Story

According to the latest State of the Industry: U.S. Classes 3-8 Used Trucks by ACT Research, the used Class 8 average retail sale price improved 4.4 percent m/m to $62,100 in February.“On a year-over-year basis, used retail prices were 14 percent... Read Story

Weak freight rates continue to reduce carriers’ willingness to invest in equipment. February net orders, at 20,500 units were nearly 21 percent lower year/year, but 6.6k units above January’s intake, according to this month’s issue of ACT Research’s... Read Story

Final February Class 8 net orders, at 27,745 units were up 16 percent year/year. Total Classes 5-7 orders were up 8.6 percent y/y at 19,127 units, as published in ACT Research’s latest State of the Industry: NA Classes 5-8 report.“Given ongoing weak... Read Story

February’s preliminary net trailer orders increased nominally from January to February. At 20,500 units, orders were lower compared to last February, down nearly 21 percent y/y. As we’re at the end of peak order season, seasonal adjustment (SA)... Read Story

Preliminary Class 8 same dealer used truck retail sales volumes increased 15% m/m in February, according to the latest preliminary release of the State of the Industry: U.S. Classes 3-8 Used Trucks published by ACT Research.According to Steve Tam... Read Story

January preliminary North America Class 8 net orders were 27,700 units, up 600 units from January and 16 percent from a year ago.“Weak freight and carrier profitability fundamentals, and large carriers guiding to lower CAPEX in 2024, would imply... Read Story

While trucking demand remains soft overall, rising imports and intermodal trends are key leading indicators of a recovery in trucking this year, according to the latest release of the Freight Forecast, U.S. Rate and Volume OUTLOOK report. Recovering... Read Story

ACT Research’s semi-annual seminar in February hosted industry leaders such as Bill Kretsinger, Chairman and CEO at American Central Transport, Joe Vitiritto, President and CEO at PAM Transport, and Marshall Franklin, CEO and CFO at Highway Transport... Read Story

Weak freight rates continue to reduce carriers’ willingness to invest in equipment, resulting in low trailer orders and high cancellations in January, according to this month’s issue of ACT Research’s State of the Industry: U.S. Trailers... Read Story

Final January Class 8 net orders, at 27,125 units, were up 45 percent year over year (y/y). Total Classes 5-7 orders were up 14 percent y/y at 19,954 units, as published in ACT Research’s latest State of the Industry: NA Classes 5-8 report.“US Class... Read Story

January’s preliminary net trailer orders decreased nominally from December to January. At 13,700 units, orders were lower compared to last January, down nearly 43 percent year over year. As we’re still in peak order season, seasonal adjustment (SA)... Read Story

Preliminary Class 8 same dealer used truck retail sales volumes accelerated 17 percent month over month (m/m) in January, according to the latest preliminary release of the State of the Industry: U.S. Classes 3-8 Used Trucks published by ACT Research... Read Story

After essentially holding the line on the forecast since last July, ACT Research pushes 2024 Class 8 production and sales expectations up in February, as published in the latest release of the North American Commercial Vehicle OUTLOOK.“In addition to... Read Story

January preliminary North America Class 8 net orders were 27,000 units, up 600 units from December and 45 percent from a year ago. Complete industry data for January, including final order numbers, will be published by ACT Research in... Read Story

According to the latest State of the Industry: U.S. Classes 3-8 Used Trucks by ACT Research, the used Class 8 average retail sale price dropped 2.6 percent month/month to $58,000 in December. Retail prices last saw that level in April 2021.“On a year... Read Story

he latest release of ACT Research’s For-Hire Trucking Index reflects the gradually recovering freight market.The Supply-Demand Balance tightened by 2.2 points in December to 54.2, seasonally adjusted, from 52.0 in November.Tim Denoyer, Vice President... Read Story

With freight markets continuing their bounce along the bottom, carrier profits at a low ebb, and pent-up demand exhausted, the 2024 game plan is more about hoping and coping than full steam ahead for the trailer market, according to this month’s... Read Story

U.S. freight cycle fundamentals will improve in 2024, according to the latest release of the Freight Forecast, U.S. Rate and Volume OUTLOOK report. Freight demand is below trend, but starting to recover, as post-pandemic effects fade, both real... Read Story

The convergence of continued strong build rates, a fading U.S. tractor sales trend, and early in the year sales seasonality risk a Class 8 inventory surge in Q1. ACT Research points out some of that dynamic can already be seen with more inventory... Read Story

December preliminary North America Class 8 net orders were 26,500 units, falling by 15,000 units from November. Complete industry data for December, including final order numbers, will be published by ACT Research in mid-January.“After a strong and... Read Story

November’s preliminary net trailer orders decreased nominally from October to November. At 20,900 units, orders were lower compared to last November, down 47 percent y/y. As we’re still in the peak order season, seasonal adjustment (SA) lowers... Read Story

According to the latest State of the Industry: U.S. Classes 3-8 Used Trucks by ACT Research, the used Class 8 average retail sale price fell 6 percent month/month to $59,300 in November, marking the first month of a sub-$60,000 price since April 2021... Read Story

Peak order season opened in September, and although net orders in November continued to show relatively healthy bookings, they were softer than the previous two months. Unlike the last few years with challenges solidly on the supply-side of the... Read Story

The surprising strength in the economy in 2023 may provide less ballast for freight in 2024, but supply contraction should propel the cycle forward in 2024, even if the broad economy slows, according to the latest release of the Freight Forecast, U.S... Read Story

Final November Class 8 net orders, at 41,732 units, were up 28 percent year over year, with tractor orders up 20 percent and vocational equipment orders up 60 percent on ongoing pent-up demand, as published in ACT Research’s latest State of the... Read Story

Preliminary Class 8 same dealer used truck retail sales volumes slipped in November (-2.5 percent month/month), a little more than normal seasonality would suggest, according to the latest preliminary release of the State of the Industry: U.S.... Read Story

Even as we leave the forecast unchanged this month while witnessing continued positive order activity relative to our forecast, we caution that the freight market fundamentals that inform on the largest single Class 8 market, U.S. for-hire truckload... Read Story

November preliminary NA Class 8 net orders were 41,700 units, rising by 9,000 units from both October and year-ago November. Complete industry data for November, including final order numbers, will be published by ACT Research in... Read Story

According to the latest State of the Industry: U.S. Classes 3-8 Used Trucks by ACT Research, the used Class 8 average retail sale price fell 1 percent m/m and 25 percent y/y to $62,900 in October.“The past three months’ less-than-expected declines... Read Story

Peak order season opened in September, and October net orders continued to show strong bookings. However, cancellations in some segments remain elevated, despite healthy backlogs. On balance, two solid months of orders are not enough for us to say... Read Story

Expectations are for freight markets to continue bouncing along the bottom in the near term, with some holiday volatility and a change in trajectory on the way next year, according to the latest release of the Freight Forecast, U.S. Rate and Volume... Read Story

While strong relative to freight market conditions, Class 8 orders were down 24 percent y/y in October, as published in ACT Research’s latest State of the Industry: NA Classes 5-8 report.According to Kenny Vieth, ACT’s President and Senior Analyst... Read Story

October’s preliminary net trailer orders increased nominally from September to October, at 35,300 units, but were lower compared to last October, down more than 26 percent Y/Y. As we’re still in the opening of peak order season, seasonal adjustment... Read Story

October preliminary NA Class 8 net orders were 31,900 units, remaining at above-trend levels nominally and seasonally. Complete industry data for October, including final order numbers, will be published by ACT Research in mid-November.“A strong... Read Story

After a long downturn, freight demand fundamentals are gradually improving as pandemic substitution effects fade, destocking plays out, and real incomes improve, according to the latest release of the Freight Forecast, U.S. Rate and Volume OUTLOOK... Read Story

According to the latest State of the Industry: U.S. Classes 3-8 Used Trucks, published by ACT Research, used Class 8 average retail sale price fell 1 percent month over month and 25 percent year over year to $63,900 in September.“A second month of... Read Story

The latest release of ACT Research's For-Hire Trucking Index shows continued improvement in freight volumes, pricing and driver availability.The Volume Index fell 4.9 points in September to 49.5 seasonally adjusted (SA), from 54.4 in August. While... Read Story

For the past three months, we have written about dark clouds on the trailer market horizon. September opens the peak order season, and while it is tempting to say, “here comes the sun,” we would be remiss if we didn’t note that a) one month’s data... Read Story

With the 2024 order season opening in September, the Class 8 backlog increased by 8,700 units from August to 161,300 units, and the backlog-to-build ratio increased to 5.5 months, as published in ACT Research’s latest State of the Industry: NA... Read Story

Preliminary Class 8 same dealer used truck retail sales volumes suggest buyers tightened their belts in September, down 5 percent month/month, according to the latest preliminary release of the State of the Industry: U.S. Classes 3-8 Used Trucks... Read Story

September’s preliminary net trailer orders increased sequentially, to 31,300 units, against a very easy August comp, and were notably higher compared to last September, up 19 percent. As the opening month of peak order season, seasonal adjustment... Read Story

September preliminary NA Class 8 net orders were 36,800 units, up 67% m/m, reflecting the strongest order month in the past year. Classes 5-7 net orders were more trend-like, rising 13% m/m to 23,100 units. Complete industry data for September... Read Story

August’s preliminary net trailer orders increased sequentially, to 11,500 units, but were lower against longer-term comparisons. As one of the weakest order months of the year, seasonal adjustment (SA) boosts August’s SA tally to 14,700 units. Final... Read Story

August preliminary NA Class 8 net orders were 19,000 units, down 9 percent year/year, but reflecting the best month since February. Continued economic strength and seasonal adjustment keep orders on trend. Complete industry data for August, including... Read Story

The rebalancing process in the U.S. freight market is being drawn out by reluctance to part with workers and significant private fleet capacity expansion, even as pressure on fleets worsened this month as diesel prices spiked, according to the latest... Read Story

Following on the heels of rising economic expectations, ACT Research’s forecasts for Classes 5-7, Class 8 and trailer output in 2023 and 2024 move higher again this month, as published in the latest release of the North American Commercial Vehicle... Read Story

July preliminary NA Class 8 net orders were 16,000, jumping 45 percent year over year (y/y), while Classes 5-7 net orders were 16,600, up 21 percent y/y. Complete industry data for July, including final order numbers, will be published by ACT... Read Story

Clouds on the trailer-market horizon bear watching, while simultaneously recognizing this is the seasonally weakest time of the year for forward-looking metrics, according to this month’s issue of ACT Research’s State of the Industry: U.S. Trailers... Read Story

According to the latest release of the Freight Forecast: U.S. Rate and Volume OUTLOOK report, driver capacity models suggest the record declines in freight rates should be pushing out more jobs, generating the kind of creative destruction needed to... Read Story

Preliminary NA Class 8 net orders remained seasonally soft (as expected) in June with 16,200 units, up 5 percent year over year (y/y) and 4 percent month over month (m/m), while preliminary Classes 5-7 rose a modest 2 percent y/y with 17,700 units... Read Story

According to the latest State of the Industry: U.S. Classes 3-8 Used Trucks, published by ACT Research, used Class 8 retail volumes (same dealer sales) improved by 12 percent month over month (m/m) in May. Average mileage was flat, with average price... Read Story

While the sky still isn’t falling, there certainly are more ominous clouds on the horizon that bear watching closely moving forward, one being a significant uptick in trailer cancellations for a second consecutive month, according to this month’s... Read Story

Freight volumes, rates and supply-demand balance see positive progress in May, according to the latest release of ACT Research’s For-Hire Trucking Index.The Trucking Volume Index jumped in May to 49.4 (SA) from 37.7 in April, as destocking began to... Read Story

The most notable data points this month were heavy duty and medium duty retail sales, each up double digits year over year (y/y). Heavy duty cancellations moderated month over month (m/m) and backlog continues to trend lower, but units scheduled for... Read Story

According to the latest release of the Freight Forecast, U.S. Rate and Volume OUTLOOK report, ACT Research said that though April will likely mark the bottom of the spot rate downcycle, elevated Class 8 build rates will limit the near-term... Read Story

Class 8 forecasts, as published in the latest release of the North American Commercial Vehicle OUTLOOK, are for slight year-over-year increases in retail sales and production volumes in 2023, reflecting stronger momentum into Q3. ACT Research... Read Story

Preliminary NA Class 8 net orders bounced back in May with 15,500 units, up 10 percent y/y (+29 percent m/m), while preliminary Classes 5-7 surged 27 percent y/y with 19,000 units (+3 percent m/m). Complete industry data for May, including final... Read Story

According to the latest State of the Industry: U.S. Classes 3-8 Used Trucks, published by ACT Research, used Class 8 retail volumes (same dealer sales) declined 23 percent month over month in April. Average mileage declined by 1 percent, with average... Read Story

Freight volumes, rates, and capacity continued their decline in April, according to the latest release of ACT’s For-Hire Trucking Index.The Trucking Volume Index weakened further in April, at 37.6 versus 44.6 in March. Destocking contributed to the... Read Story

According to this quarter’s issue of ACT Research’s Trailer Components & Raw Materials Forecast, OEMs are reporting that their orderboards for 2023 are fully open, with most booked through the end of the year (a few with spots still available in Q4)... Read Story

During the past six months, trailer manufacturers and major suppliers have largely indicated stable business conditions as compared to each prior month. Responses for May, relative to April, were in line with this trend. That said, this month’s... Read Story

Given the relatively weak environment for orders, combined with a fairly healthy supply chain, Class 8 backlog should be on a downward trajectory until 2024 orderboards open. April was no exception, with backlog down 15.1K units month over month to... Read Story

The freight cycle remains clearly weak, according to the latest release of the ACT Freight Forecast, U.S. Rate and Volume OUTLOOK report, but there are rays of light at the end of the tunnel. ACT Research sees the tightly intertwined supply and... Read Story

April’s preliminary net trailer orders decreased sequentially, and were lower against longer-term comparisons, with 10,000 units (11,900 seasonally adjusted) projected to have been booked during the month. Final April results will be available later... Read Story

Class 8 demand to this point has remained relatively resilient, but ACT Research sees clear softening in big fleet profitability and other ancillary metrics. Expectations, as published in the latest release of the North American Commercial Vehicle... Read Story

Preliminary NA Class 8 net orders in April were 11,600 units, down 27 percent year over year (-39 percent month over month, while preliminary Classes 5-7 net orders were 18,000 units, down 10 percent Y/Y (-6 percent M/M).Complete industry data for... Read Story

Freight volumes improved, but remained weak, in March, and rates declined further, according to the latest release of ACT Research’s For-Hire Trucking Index.The Trucking Volume Index declined by less in March, at 45.3 (SA) versus 43.1 in February.... Read Story

According to the latest State of the Industry: U.S. Classes 3-8 Used Trucks, published by ACT Research, used Class 8 retail volumes (same dealer sales) jumped 18 percent month over month in March. Average mileage declined by 5 percent, with average... Read Story

Trailer OEMs and major component suppliers continue to indicate strong demand and lingering supply-chain constraints. Despite OEMs expanding availability, 2023 is not yet fully open across the industry, partially because manufacturers continue to... Read Story

March’s preliminary net trailer orders decreased sequentially, and were lower against longer-term comparisons, with 16,800 units (16,300 SA) projected to have been booked during the month. Final March results will be available later this month. This... Read Story

Trucking industry demand was quite healthy in March, despite the turmoil experienced in the banking sector and another interest rate increase. Pent-up demand remains resilient, and cancellations continue at miniscule levels for both heavy duty (HD)... Read Story

Freight demand is likely to be soft for some time, but nascent capacity removal will be key to rebalancing. ACT Research points to slower declines and wider spreads between specialized and dry van rates this year and note that a lot of rebalancing... Read Story

ACT Research continues to expect a mild recession to materialize, if not as soon as previously envisioned. Broad-based momentum coming out of Q1 increasingly suggests a recession is more likely to materialize in the second half of 2023. Helping to... Read Story

Class 8 net orders in March were 19,200 units, down 10 percent year over year (-19 percent month over month), while NA Classes 5-7 net orders were 18,600 units. Complete industry data for March, including final order numbers, will be published by ACT... Read Story

According to the latest State of the Industry: U.S. Classes 3-8 Used Trucks, published by ACT Research, used Class 8 retail volumes (same dealer sales) were 8 percent lower month over month in February. Average mileage was unchanged, with average... Read Story

Reflecting a higher build rate, the backlog-to-build ratio contracted to 8.5 months in February, after closing January at 9.9 months. For context, the average since Q3 2021 has been in the 8-month neighborhood, according to this month’s issue of ACT... Read Story

Freight volumes and rates declined in February, but we’re closer to the end than the start of this freight downcycle. Rate trends should begin to recover as soon as traction on freight volumes is established, and slower capacity growth this month is... Read Story

The mild freight downturn is likely to persist as banking crises fray nerves and the retail destock progresses, and restocking is unlikely for a while. The truckload spot market is bottoming as labor capacity slows, according to the latest release of... Read Story

According to ACT Research’s latest State of the Industry: NA Classes 5-8 report, February heavy-duty and medium-duty production relative to build plan each fell short. The Class 8 build rate in February was 1,277 units per day (UPD), up 13.9 percent... Read Story

February’s preliminary net trailer orders increased sequentially, but were lower against longer-term comparisons, with 25,800 units (25,600 SA) projected to have been booked during the month. Final February results will be available later this... Read Story

Preliminary Class 8 same dealer used truck retail sales volume managed a small gain, rising 2 percent month over month in February. The small improvement paled in comparison to the 233 percent sequential increase in auctions sales and a 55 percent... Read Story

ACT Research and Rhein Associates recently released N.A. Commercial Vehicle On-Highway Engine OUTLOOK.Regarding legislation, Andrew Wrobel, Senior Powertrain Analyst at Rhein Associates, said, “The California Air Resources Board (CARB) approved a... Read Story

According to this quarter’s issue of ACT Research’s Trailer Components & Raw Materials Forecast, supply-chain concerns still linger, with some manufacturers sharing that they see no short-term improvement in sight. Most trailer makers continue to see... Read Story

Reflecting a lower build rate, January’s backlog-to-build ratio (BL/BU) increased to 9.9 months, after averaging ~8 months since August of 2021, according to ACT Research. That said, the BL/BU for total trailers decreased to 8.1 months when... Read Story

According to ACT Research’s latest State of the Industry: NA Classes 5-8 report, January heavy-duty (HD) orders were relatively weak, but it remains to be seen whether this represented a pause after robust year-end orders, or the beginning of a more... Read Story

Preliminary used Class 8 retail volumes (same dealer sales) increased 24 percent month-over-month and were just 2 percent higher compared to January of 2022, according to the latest preliminary release of the State of the Industry: U.S. Classes 3-8... Read Story

The latest release of the ACT Freight Forecast, U.S. Rate and Volume OUTLOOK reported truckload spot rates, insights on the upcoming CVSA Road Check, and freight cycle bottoming.Tim Denoyer, ACT Research’s Vice President and Senior Analyst, said... Read Story

Preliminary net trailer orders dipped in January, with 24,200 units (22,000 SA) projected to have been booked during the month. Final January results will be available later this month. “We expected net orders to slow in January, after the explosion... Read Story

In spite of what seems to be a stumbling freight picture, higher financing costs and increasingly restrictive credit availability, ACT Research continues to see healthy sales and build trends for Class 8 into 2023. Pent-up vehicle demand and still... Read Story

Preliminary NA Class 8 net orders in December were 18,400 units, while NA Classes 5-7 net orders were 17,800 units. Complete industry data for January, including final order numbers, will be published by ACT Research in mid-February.“Given how robust... Read Story

According to the latest release of the State of the Industry: U.S. Classes 3-8 Used Trucks, published by ACT Research, used Class 8 retail volumes (same dealer sales) increased 16 percent month over month in December. Average mileage was down 4... Read Story

The latest release of ACT Research’s For-Hire Trucking Index shows volumes and the supply-demand balance increased in December, while freight trucking rates continue to decline.Concerning volume, Tim Denoyer, Vice President & Senior Analyst at ACT... Read Story

According to ACT Research’s (ACT) latest State of the Industry: NA Classes 5-8 report, December Class 8 net orders were healthy, bringing total year-end ordering activity to a strong 159,000 (Sept.-Dec.). Classes 5-7 orders declined 3 percent year... Read Story

December net U.S. trailer orders of 57,300 units were nearly 46 percent higher compared to November and 115 percent above December 2021, according to this month’s issue of ACT Research’s State of the Industry: U.S. Trailers report.“Discussions in the... Read Story

ACT Research latest release of the North American Commercial Vehicle OUTLOOK reported moderating core personal consumption expenditures (PCE), slowing jobs growth, and decelerating wage inflation indicate the Fed’s campaign to bring inflation under... Read Story

The latest release of ACT Research’s For-Hire Trucking Index showed the Supply-Demand Balance and volumes decreased, while freight rates continue to decline.Concerning volume, Tim Denoyer, Vice President & Senior Analyst at ACT Research, said... Read Story

November net U.S. trailer orders of 39,590 units were 17 percent lower compared to last month, -27 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis, and 22 percent above the year-ago November level, according to this month’s issue of ACT Research’s State of... Read Story

According to the latest release of the State of the Industry: U.S. Classes 3-8 Used Trucks, published by ACT Research, used Class 8 retail volumes (same dealer sales) were down 19 percent month over month. Average mileage was down 1 percent, with... Read Story

Preliminary reports show net trailer orders continued to soar in November, with 39,000 units projected to have been booked during the month. Final November results will be available later this month.“We expected net orders to slow in November, after... Read Story

ACT Research released the December 2022 installment of the ACT Freight Forecast, U.S. Rate and Volume OUTLOOK report.Tim Denoyer, ACT Research’s Vice President and Senior Analyst, said, “We’re pleased to announce the first new product since we began... Read Story

ACT Research’s latest release of the North American Commercial Vehicle OUTLOOK reported on the anticipated surge in Class 8 orders coupled with robust pent-up demand at year end.According to Kenny Vieth, ACT’s President and Senior Analyst, “In line... Read Story

Preliminary North American Class 8 net orders in November were 33,000 units, while NA Classes 5-7 net orders were 21,400 units. Complete industry data for November, including final order numbers, will be published by ACT Research in... Read Story

According to this quarter’s issue of ACT Research’s Trailer Components & Raw Materials Forecast, recent weak economic numbers and higher interest rates do not seem to have impacted the commercial vehicle (CV) sector in any meaningful form. Demand... Read Story

Specialty finance company Mitsubishi HC Capital America and ACT Research announced they are partnering on a four-part weekly video series, “A Conversation with ACT Research,” designed for commercial truck dealers, upfitters and end-users. Each of the... Read Story

According to ACT Research’s Transportation Digest, the top line on the Class 8 Tractor Dashboard slipped in September to a -4 reading, the sixth moderately downbeat reading in seven months.The Transportation Digest, which combines proprietary ACT... Read Story

October net U.S. trailer orders of 47,860 units were 83 percent higher compared to last month, +57 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis, and 171 percent above the year-ago October level, according to this month’s issue of ACT Research’s State of... Read Story

ACT Research released the latest installment of the ACT Freight Forecast, U.S. Rate and Volume OUTLOOK report.Tim Denoyer, ACT Research’s Vice President and Senior Analyst, said, “While we lower truckload rate forecasts on supply factors, we believe... Read Story

According to ACT Research’s latest State of the Industry: NA Classes 5-8 report, current commercial vehicle (CV) market conditions continue to prove resilient in the face of aggressive interest rate hikes. October Class 8 net orders were robust, all... Read Story

Preliminary reports show net trailer orders in October were 46,750 units, up 82 percent from September, and 168 percent higher than the same month last year, according to ACT Research. Final October results will be available later this month.“With... Read Story

Preliminary used Class 8 retail volumes (same dealer sales) decreased 10 percent month-over-month, and were 30 percent lower compared to October of 2021, according to the latest preliminary release of the State of the Industry: U.S. Classes 3-8 Used... Read Story

According to ACT Research’s latest release of the North American Commercial Vehicle OUTLOOK, 2022 forecasts this month are slightly raised from October thanks to easing supply-chain constraints. Current economic activity aside, as long as inflation... Read Story

Preliminary NA Class 8 net orders in October were 42,500 units, while NA Classes 5-7 net orders were 23,400 units. Complete industry data for October, including final order numbers, will be published by ACT Research in mid-November.“The strength in... Read Story

In the release of its Commercial Vehicle Dealer Digest, ACT Research reported slightly lowered forecasts due to the Fed’s continued action toward inflation, disproportionally impacting the freight economy.According to Kenny Vieth, ACT’s President and... Read Story

September net U.S. trailer orders of 26,086 units were 47 percent higher compared to last month, but 8 percent below the year-ago September level, according to this month’s issue of ACT Research’s State of the Industry: U.S. Trailers... Read Story

According to ACT Research’s recently released Transportation Digest, the top line on the Class 8 Tractor Dashboard dropped in August to a -3 reading, the fifth moderately downbeat reading in six months.“Dashboard readings to date suggest a more... Read Story

The latest release of ACT Research’s For-Hire Trucking Index showed volume, productivity and the supply-demand balance all declined in September.Concerning volume, Tim Denoyer, Vice President & Senior Analyst at ACT Research, commented, “It’s getting... Read Story

Preliminary reports show that net trailer orders in September were 25,700 units, up about 45 percent from August, but around 10 percent lower than the same month last year. Final September results will be available later this month. “With more 2023... Read Story

Preliminary used Class 8 retail volumes (same dealer sales) decreased 9 percent month-over-month, and were 29 percent lower compared to September of 2021, according to the latest preliminary release of the State of the Industry: U.S. Classes 3-8 Used... Read Story

According to ACT Research’s latest release of the North American Commercial Vehicle OUTLOOK, forecasts this month are slightly lower than September due to stubborn inflation and the Fed’s continued firm action toward bringing it down to their 2... Read Story

ACT Research announced the release of DRIVING AUTOMATION, a report and total-cost-of-ownership (TCO) model covering commercial autonomous vehicles in North America. ACT Research, the gold standard in market data, forecasting, and TCO development for... Read Story

ACT Research reported preliminary NA Class 8 net orders in September were 53,700 units, while NA Classes 5-7 net orders were 26,600 units. Complete industry data for September, including final order numbers, will be published by ACT Research in... Read Story

In the release of its Commercial Vehicle Dealer Digest, ACT Research reported essentially unchanged forecasts from last month—demand remains healthy, production remains constrained, and freight rates and volumes managed to squeak out small... Read Story

According to ACT Research’s recently released Transportation Digest, the top line on the Class 8 Tractor Dashboard improved in July to a neutral -2 reading, closing out four consecutive months of moderately downbeat readings. “Our interpretation is a... Read Story

The latest release of ACT Research’s For-Hire Trucking Index showed August volume flat and productivity down, with the Supply-Demand Balance and capacity rising marginally.Kenny Vieth, President & Senior Analyst at ACT Research, said, “While Volume... Read Story

Preliminary reports show that net trailer orders in August were 17,700 units, up about 6 percent from July, but a significant 39 percent higher than the same month last year, according to ACT Research. Final August results will be available later... Read Story

Preliminary used Class 8 retail volumes (same dealer sales) increased 43 percent month-over-month, but were 15 percent lower compared to August of 2021, according to the latest preliminary release of the State of the Industry: U.S. Classes 3-8 Used... Read Story

According to ACT Research’s latest release of the North American Commercial Vehicle OUTLOOK, forecasts this month are essentially unchanged from last month. Demand remains healthy, production remains constrained by supply-chain disruptions and tight... Read Story

Preliminary NA Class 8 net orders in August were 21,600 units, while NA Classes 5-7 net orders were 18,400 units. “Last month, we sounded a note of caution, with the caveat that there were a number of mitigating factors (extended backlogs, order... Read Story

According to the latest release of the State of the Industry: U.S. Classes 3-8 Used Trucks, published by ACT Research, used Class 8 retail volumes (same dealer sales) were down 10 percent month-over-month in July. Average price and miles were down 1... Read Story

According to ACT Research’s recently released Transportation Digest, the top line on the Class 8 Tractor Dashboard was unchanged in June, the fourth month of moderately downbeat readings.“Our interpretation is a gradual erosion for Class 8 market... Read Story

The latest release of ACT Research’s For-Hire Trucking Index showed volume and productivity up, with the Supply-Demand Balance in July rising as the increase in volumes outweighed the increase in capacity.Tim Denoyer, Vice President & Senior Analyst... Read Story

According to ACT Research’s (ACT) latest State of the Industry: NA Classes 5-8 Report, surging inflation, the Fed hiking interest rates into a potential recession, and supply-chain disruptions remain overarching themes.According to Kenny Vieth, ACT... Read Story

July net U.S. trailer orders of 16,997 units were 33 percent lower compared to last month, but more than 103 percent above the year-ago July level, according to this month’s issue of ACT Research’s State of the Industry: U.S. Trailers report.“OEMS... Read Story

ACT Research has published a North American commercial vehicle and transportation prebuy analysis, Bigger Than Ever?: The Higher the Cost, The Bigger the Prebuy, which analyzes the new U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Notice of Proposed... Read Story

According to ACT Research’s latest release of the North American Commercial Vehicle OUTLOOK, ACT shifted forecasts last month to incorporate an inbound recession, and this month’s forecast changes were mostly characterized by smaller adjustments... Read Story

For the first five months of 2022, U.S. and Canadian Class 8 natural gas truck retail sales rose 11 percent year-to-date against comparisons of the same time period in 2021, as published in the quarterly report (AFQ: Alternative Fuels Quarterly)... Read Story

Preliminary NA Class 8 net orders in July were 11,400 units, while NA Classes 5-7 net orders were 13,500 units. Complete industry data for July, including final order numbers, will be published by ACT Research in mid-August.“Do we think July’s weak... Read Story

According to the latest release of the State of the Industry: U.S. Classes 3-8 Used Trucks, published by ACT Research, used Class 8 retail volumes (same dealer sales) were 1% higher month-over-month. Longer term, volumes dropped 44% y/y and were 34%... Read Story

The latest release of ACT Research’s For-Hire Trucking Index showed volume and pricing down, with capacity still on the high side, resulting in a lower Supply-Demand Balance in June.Carter Vieth, Research Associate at ACT Research, said, “The reading... Read Story

Preliminary reports show that net trailer orders in June were 15,300 units, down about 21 percent from the previous month, but up a significant 33 percent from the same month last year. Final June results will be available later this month.ACT... Read Story

Preliminary NA Class 8 net orders in June were 15,500 units, while NA Classes 5-7 net orders were 17,800 units. Complete industry data for June, including final order numbers, will be published by ACT Research in mid-July.“Seasonal adjustment lifts... Read Story

According to ACT Research’s recently released Transportation Digest, the top line on the Class 8 Tractor Dashboard dropped again in April.“The Tractor Dashboard result affirms the steady and steep erosion in prospective business conditions for Class... Read Story

According to the latest release of the State of the Industry: U.S. Classes 3-8 Used Trucks, published by ACT Research, used Class 8 retail volumes (same dealer sales) were 8 percent higher month-over-month. Longer term, volumes were down 38 percent... Read Story

May net U.S. trailer orders of 19,445 units were virtually unchanged compared to April, down just 0.8 percent month over month, but were 93 percent higher compared to May 2021, according to this month’s issue of ACT Research’s State of the Industry:... Read Story

Preliminary used Class 8 retail volumes (same dealer sales) fell 10 percent month-over-month, and were 40 percent lower compared to May of 2021, according to the latest preliminary release of the State of the Industry: U.S. Classes 3-8 Used Trucks... Read Story

Preliminary reports show net trailer orders in May were 18,300 units, down about 7 percent from the previous month, but up a significant 111 percent from May last year, according to ACT Research. Final May results will be available later this... Read Story

According to ACT Research’s latest release of the North American Commercial Vehicle OUTLOOK, while ACT Research still believes a soft landing is the U.S. economy’s most likely path, the potential for a mild recession is becoming an increasingly... Read Story

April net U.S. trailer orders of 19,614 units decreased more than 48 percent from the previous month, but were 23 percent higher compared to April of 2021, according to this month’s issue of ACT Research’s State of the Industry: U.S. Trailer... Read Story

According to ACT Research’s recently released Transportation Digest, the top line on the Class 8 tractor dashboard took another tumble in March, extending the drop that started in January.The report, which combines proprietary ACT data and analysis... Read Story

According to ACT Research’s latest State of the Industry: NA Classes 5-8 Report, the deterioration of some freight-related metrics that began in March continued through April and into early May.Eric Crawford, ACT Research’s Vice President and Senior... Read Story

Preliminary used Class 8 volumes (same dealer sales) fell 40 percent month-over-month, and were 33 percent lower compared to April of 2021, according to the latest preliminary release of the State of the Industry: U.S. Classes 3-8 Used Trucks... Read Story

ACT Research released the latest installment of the ACT Freight Forecast, U.S. Rate and Volume OUTLOOK report.Tim Denoyer, ACT Research’s Vice President and Senior Analyst, said, “As recently as the start of the year, pricing power in the truckload... Read Story

Preliminary reports show that net trailer orders in April were 16,100 units, down almost 60 percent from the previous month and up slightly from the same month last year, according to ACT Research’s State of the Industry: U.S. Trailers report.“While... Read Story

According to ACT Research’s latest release of the North American Commercial Vehicle OUTLOOK, while ACT Research still likes the footing of the U.S. economy, with consumers sitting on considerable savings, debt-service historically low, and the job... Read Story

Preliminary NA Class 8 net orders in April were 15,800 units, while NA Classes 5-7 net orders slid to 19,500 units. Complete industry data for April, including final order numbers, will be published by ACT Research in mid-May. “With backlog ahead of... Read Story

In the release of its Commercial Vehicle Dealer Digest, ACT Research reported that in early April, following the publication of a “the sky is falling” op-ed in a transportation industry trade publication, ACT’s staff received questions relating to... Read Story

March net U.S. trailer orders of 37,901 units increased more than 40 percent from the previous month and were nearly 28 percent higher compared to March 2021. Before accounting for cancellations, new orders of 38,400 grew roughly 37 percent versus... Read Story

According to the latest release of the State of the Industry: U.S. Classes 3-8 Used Trucks, published by ACT Research, used Class 8 retail volumes (same dealer sales) were 11 percent higher month-over-month. Longer term, volumes were down 27 percent... Read Story

For the first two months of 2022, U.S. and Canadian Class 8 natural gas truck retail sales rose 21 percent year-to-date against comparisons of the same time period in 2021, as published in the quarterly report (AFQ: Alternative Fuels Quarterly)... Read Story

According to ACT Research’s recently released Transportation Digest, the top line on ACT’s Tractor Dashboard in February extended the steep-pitched decline of January, taking the dashboard top line tally from double-digits in January to zero.The... Read Story

Preliminary used Class 8 retail volumes (same dealer sales) grew 23 percent month-over-month, but were 23 percent lower compared to March of 2021, according to the latest preliminary release of the State of the Industry: U.S. Classes 3-8 Used Trucks... Read Story

According to ACT Research’s (ACT) latest State of the Industry: NA Classes 5-8 Report, lagging Russia’s invasion of Ukraine by about one month, some freight-related metrics looked increasingly tired in March and early April, but there’s more to the... Read Story

According to ACT Research’s latest release of the North American Commercial Vehicle OUTLOOK, for the first time since the second quarter 2020 transportation metrics stopped moving “up and to the right” in Q1 2022.According to Kenny Vieth, ACT’s... Read Story

Preliminary reports show net trailer orders in March reached the highest level since December 2020, according to ACT Research. Bookings of 37,900 units were up 40 percent month-over-month and 28 percent better year-over-year. Final March results will... Read Story

February net U.S. trailer orders of 27,041 units increased about 1 percent from the previous month and were 6 percent higher compared to February of 2021. Before accounting for cancellations, new orders of 28,100 units were virtually unchanged versus... Read Story

According to ACT Research’s (ACT) latest State of the Industry: NA Classes 5-8 Report, while the economic set-up remains favorable, considerable friction and uncertainty have been added, with many more loose ends in the economic story than there were... Read Story

Preliminary used Class 8 retail volumes (same dealer sales) grew 20 percent month-over-month, but were 14 percent lower compared to February 2021, according to the latest preliminary release of the State of the Industry: U.S. Classes 3-8 Used Trucks... Read Story

The order pace for U.S. trailers that closed 2021 and opened 2022 continued for the third straight month in February, according to ACT Research. Preliminary estimates point to OEMs booking 26,500 net orders for the month, down 0.7 percent... Read Story

According to ACT Research’s latest release of the North American Commercial Vehicle OUTLOOK, supply-chain constraints kept a lid on the industry’s ability to raise build rates through 2021, and just as the supply of chips was starting to improve, the... Read Story

According to the recently released N.A. Commercial Vehicle On-Highway Engine OUTLOOK, published by ACT Research and Rhein Associates, partnerships and investments to support new powertrains for and lower carbon emissions from commercial vehicle... Read Story

Preliminary NA Class 8 net orders in February were 21,000 units, while NA Classes 5-7 net orders rose to 18,300 units, according to ACT Research. “Constrained production capabilities and long backlogs continue to impede new order activity. Based on... Read Story

January net U.S. trailer orders of 26,595 units increased less than 1 percent from the previous month and were more than 15 percent lower compared to January of 2021. Before accounting for cancellations, new orders of 28,000 units were down about 2... Read Story

ACT Research began its 66th Seminar with a panel discussion about the current state and future of U.S. economics. Panelists included Bryan Bezold, Senior Economist at Ford; as well as ACT’s Principal, Industry Analyst, Jim Meil; and Chief Economist... Read Story

According to ACT Research’s (ACT) latest State of the Industry: NA Classes 5-8 Report, for much of the past 20 months post-lockdown, economic conditions have been idyllic broadly, and particularly for commercial vehicle demand.According to Kenny... Read Story

According to this quarter’s issue of ACT Research’s Trailer Components Report, the U.S. trailer industry backlog grew 3 percent sequentially in December, but ended 2021 9 percent below the previous year.“Overall, last year closed with the U.S.... Read Story

Preliminary used Class 8 retail volumes (same dealer sales) shrank 8 percent month-over-month and were 32 percent lower compared to January of 2021, according to the latest preliminary release of the State of the Industry: U.S. Classes 3-8 Used... Read Story

According to ACT Research’s latest release of the North American Commercial Vehicle OUTLOOK, supply-chain constraints kept a lid on the industry’s ability to raise build rates through 2021, at least until December when a torrent of... Read Story

In the release of its Commercial Vehicle Dealer Digest, ACT Research reported that as supply-chain constraints continue to dominate the conversation, broad-based economic and freight market strength is often overlooked.Kenny Vieth, ACT’s President... Read Story

December net U.S. trailer orders of 26,382 units decreased nearly 18 percent from the previous month and were nearly 41 percent lower than December 2020. Before accounting for cancellations, new orders of 28,500 units were down about 16 percent... Read Story

According to ACT Research’s recently released Transportation Digest, the six key themes that shaped the North American commercial vehicle markets in 2021 will continue to do so in 2022, and likely beyond.“The factors impacting the market start and... Read Story

Preliminary reports show trailer net orders closed on a softer note, with OEMs booking 26,600 units in December, according to ACT Research. That was 17 percent lower than November and 40 percent below the previous year’s volume. Final December... Read Story

In the release of its Commercial Vehicle Dealer Digest, ACT Research reported that despite rock-solid demand across the spectrum of forward-looking medium and heavy-duty vehicle market indicators, industry capacity remains range-bound across a broad... Read Story

According to the latest release of the State of the Industry: U.S. Classes 3-8 Used Trucks, published by ACT Research, used Class 8 retail volumes (same dealer sales) were 15 percent lower month-over-month. Longer term, volumes were down 16 percent... Read Story

November net U.S. trailer orders of 32,103 units increased more than 84 percent from the previous month, but were nearly 20 percent lower compared to November of 2020. Before accounting for cancellations, new orders of 33,900 units were up more than... Read Story

Preliminary reports show trailer net orders rebounded in November, as some OEMs began to further solidify their 2022 production plans. Net orders of 31,000 trailers were posted during the month, a 78 percent increase from October, although it trailed... Read Story

Preliminary NA Class 8 net orders in November were 9,800 units, while NA Classes 5-7 net orders dropped to 21,500 units, both representing lower sequential and year-over-year readings. Complete industry data for November, including final order... Read Story

October net U.S. trailer orders of 17,405 units fell more than 38 percent from the previous month and were nearly 69 percent lower compared to October of 2020. Before accounting for cancellations, new orders of 19,600 units were down almost 40... Read Story

According to ACT Research’s recently released Transportation Digest, the front-and-center concerns of the commercial vehicle industry at the moment are supply-chain constraints, as well as the inflationary ramifications that flow from them.“In... Read Story

According to ACT Research’s (ACT) latest State of the Industry: NA Classes 5-8 Report, with total Classes 5-8 build rates flat sequentially and essentially stuck at the year-to-date average, the supply-demand setup for the entire industry remains... Read Story

Preliminary used Class 8 volumes (same dealer sales) decreased 3 percent month over month and dropped 24 percent year over year in October. That said, through the first 10 months of the year, activity is 4 percent higher compared to the same period a... Read Story

October preliminary net trailer orders of 16,700 units were down approximately 40 percent from September and off 70 percent from last year’s peak order month, according to ACT Research. Final October volume will be available later this month.“It’s... Read Story

Preliminary NA Class 8 net orders in October were 23,600 units, while NA Classes 5-7 net orders dropped to 21,900 units, both representing lower sequential and year-over-year readings. Complete industry data for October, including final order numbers... Read Story

According to ACT Research’s Transportation Digest, near-term signs of demand remain strong, while supply constraints dictate that ACT Research’s forecasts for the next year remain under pressure.“For heavy trucks, no less than for medium and light... Read Story

According to the latest release of the State of the Industry: U.S. Classes 3-8 Used Trucks, published by ACT Research, used Class 8 volumes (same dealer sales) were 1 percent higher month-over-month. Longer term, volumes were down 23 percent year... Read Story

September net U.S. trailer orders of 28,127 units rose nearly 126 percent from the previous month, but were more than 45 percent lower compared to September of 2020. Before accounting for cancellations, new orders of 32,400 units were up almost 140... Read Story

According to ACT Research’s latest State of the Industry: NA Classes 5-8 Report, the supply-demand setup for the entire industry remains unchanged. Despite rock-solid demand metrics across the spectrum of medium- and heavy-duty vehicle types... Read Story

Preliminary used Class 8 volumes (same dealer sales) increased 5 percent month-over-month, but dropped 25 percent year over year in September. Through the first nine months of the year, activity is 3 percent higher compared to the same period a year... Read Story

Preliminary reports show trailer OEMs posted 28,500 net orders in September, according to ACT Research. That was a 130 percent sequential surge over August, but trailed the same month last year by 45 percent. Final September volume will be available... Read Story

According to ACT Research’s latest release of the North American Commercial Vehicle OUTLOOK, near-term commercial vehicle production forecasts have been trimmed again, amid continued supply-side constraints.According to Steve Tam, ACT’s Vice... Read Story

In the release of its Commercial Vehicle Dealer Digest, ACT Research reported that commercial vehicle demand-side activity remains at as-good-as-it-gets levels.Regarding demand metrics, Kenny Vieth, ACT’s President and Senior Analyst, noted, “ACT’s... Read Story

According to ACT Research’s recently released Transportation Digest, North America’s commercial vehicle industry is experiencing material capacity constraints that are dictating the speed at which the industry can produce for the rest of this year... Read Story

August net U.S. trailer orders of 12,336 units rose nearly 52 percent from the previous month, but were almost 57 percent lower compared to August of 2020. Before accounting for cancellations, new orders of 13,400 units were up almost 41 percent... Read Story

According to ACT Research’s (ACT) latest State of the Industry: NA Classes 5-8 Report, there has not been much change in trajectory of macro datapoints that are influencing commercial vehicle demand. Except for the asterisk that is the COVID Delta... Read Story

Preliminary used Class 8 volumes (same dealer sales) dropped 5 percent month-over-month and 24 percent year over year in August. Through the first eight months of the year, activity is 8 percent higher compared to the same period a year ago... Read Story

ACT Research released the latest installment of the ACT Freight Forecast, U.S. Rate and Volume OUTLOOK report.Tim Denoyer, ACT Research’s Vice President and Senior Analyst, said, “Freight markets remain tight as we head into a clearly historic peak... Read Story

According to ACT Research’s latest release of the North American Commercial Vehicle OUTLOOK, commercial vehicle production forecasts for this year and next have been cut again, amid continued supply-side constraints.According to Kenny Vieth, ACT’s... Read Story

According to the N.A. Commercial Vehicle On-Highway Engine OUTLOOK, published by ACT Research and Rhein Associates, discussion and investment to support new powertrains for and lower carbon emissions from commercial vehicle fleets continues.... Read Story

Preliminary NA Class 8 net orders in August were 36,900 units, while NA Classes 5-7 net orders jumped to 31,900 units, both representing five-month high readings. Complete industry data for August, to include final order numbers, will be published by... Read Story

According to the latest release of the State of the Industry: U.S. Classes 3-8 Used Trucks, published by ACT Research, used Class 8 volumes (same dealer sales) were 4 percent lower month-over-month. Longer term, volumes were down 18 percent year over... Read Story

Again, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, ACT Research began its 65th Seminar via a virtual platform, with a panel discussion about the current state and future of U.S. economics. Panelists included Jon Horvath, Director Economics and Marketplace... Read Story

The latest release of ACT Research’s For-Hire Trucking Index, with July data, showed an uptick in volumes and pricing moderating, with a still-strong supply-demand balance.Tim Denoyer, Vice President and Senior Analyst at ACT Research, commented... Read Story

According to ACT Research’s recently released Transportation Digest, the metrics ACT Research is tracking underscore how robust current market conditions are, but also hint at COVID and other vulnerabilities.The report, which combines proprietary ACT... Read Story

Preliminary reports show trailer OEMs posted 7,100 net orders in July, roughly two-thirds of June’s volume and 63 percent less than the same month last year, according to ACT Research. Final July volume will be available later this month. “Trailer... Read Story

Preliminary NA Class 8 net orders in July were 25,800 units, unchanged compared to June’s actual 25,809 orders booked. NA Classes 5-7 net orders jumped 30 percent from June and 70 percent from a year ago, to 30,200 units. Complete industry data for... Read Story

In the release of its Commercial Vehicle Dealer Digest, ACT Research reported its heavy-duty forecasts for the remainder of this year and the following two years remain very strong.“Indicators we track for the economy, for freight and for equipment... Read Story

According to the latest release of the State of the Industry: U.S. Classes 3-8 Used Trucks, published by ACT Research, used Class 8 volumes (same dealer sales) were 1 percent lower month-over-month. Longer term, volumes were down 5 percent year over... Read Story

According to ACT Research’s Transportation Digest, forecast stability this year has been driven by three factors: major positive momentum carried-over from 2020, the struggle of manufacturers to push production even higher in the face of record heavy... Read Story

According to ACT Research’s (ACT) latest State of the Industry: NA Classes 5-8 Report, with demand for commercial vehicles surging, any number of conversations the past few months have been around the opening of the OEMs’ 2022 order books.“There are... Read Story

Preliminary reports show trailer OEMs posted 11,100 net orders in June, 20 percent above May orders, but 19 percent below the same point last year. Final June volume will be available later this month, ACT Research reports. “While the sequential... Read Story

Preliminary NA Class 8 net orders in June were 25,700 units, up 11 percent from May, and a still robust 61 percent higher than June of 2020’s COVID-impacted intake. NA Classes 5-7, with orders at 22,800 units, slipped 12 percent from May, according... Read Story

According to the latest release of the State of the Industry: U.S. Classes 3-8 Used Trucks, published by ACT Research, used Class 8 volumes (same dealer sales) were 12 percent lower month-over-month, but significantly higher year over year and year... Read Story

In the release of its Commercial Vehicle Dealer Digest, ACT Research reported that, as expected and aligning with preliminary data, North American Class 8 net orders were soft in May, as full 2021 backlogs and as-yet fully opened 2022 order books... Read Story

Preliminary reports show trailer OEMs posted 8,800 net orders in May, off 39 percent versus April, but almost 170 percent better than the COVID-impacted level last year, ACT Research reported. Final May volume will be available later this month. “The... Read Story

According to ACT Research’s latest release of the North American Commercial Vehicle OUTLOOK, the question of commercial vehicle demand for 2021 has already been answered, and for the first time ever, this perspective is illuminated by all positive... Read Story

According to the recently released N.A. Commercial Vehicle On-Highway Engine OUTLOOK, published by ACT Research and Rhein Associates, discussion continues about how internal combustion engines will meet future emissions standards for the latter part... Read Story

In the release of its Commercial Vehicle Dealer Digest, ACT Research reported the question of commercial vehicle demand for 2021 has been answered, but the remaining question is the industry’s ability to meet that level of demand.“This year’s... Read Story

According to ACT Research’s recently released Transportation Digest, the aggregate prosperity seen currently in the commercial vehicle industry, and in the U.S. economy as a whole, is a welcome contrast to the situation that existed a year ago.... Read Story

April net U.S. trailer orders of 14,387 units fell nearly 52 percent from the previous month and rose more than 3,600 percent compared to the severely COVID-impacted April of 2020. Before accounting for cancellations, new orders of 18,900 units were... Read Story

The latest release of ACT Research’s For-Hire Trucking Index, with April data, showed a slowing in volumes, strength in pricing, and a supply-demand balance that is still tight, but beginning to show early signs of rebalancing. The ACT For-Hire... Read Story

Preliminary reports from trailer OEMs indicate that 14,400 new trailer orders were booked in April, which was 52 percent lower than March, but a staggering 3,600 percent above the dramatically COVID-impacted volume for the same month last year. Final... Read Story

According to ACT Research’s (ACT) latest State of the Industry: NA Classes 5-8 Report, April Class 8 net orders pulled back to a seven-month low, with benign cancellations. ACT Research attributes the order pullback not to any slowing in demand, but... Read Story

Preliminary used Class 8 volumes (same dealer sales) dropped 2 percent month-over-month, but rose 51 percent year over year in April. Through the first four months of the year, activity is 29 percent higher compared to the same period a year ago... Read Story

According to ACT Research’s latest release of the North American Commercial Vehicle OUTLOOK, the question of commercial vehicle demand for 2021 has already been answered, but the number of units to be built this year remains a question of... Read Story

Preliminary NA Class 8 net orders in April were 33,500 units, down 16 percent from March, but a whopping 689 percent higher than April of last year’s COVID-19-stricken intake. NA Classes 5-7 demand, with orders at 27,300 units, slipped 15 percent... Read Story

The latest release of ACT Research’s For-Hire Trucking Index, with March data, showed a Driver Availability Index that has tightened to another new low point in the past three years, the fourth in a row.Tim Denoyer, ACT Research’s Vice President and... Read Story

In the release of its Commercial Vehicle Dealer Digest, ACT Research reported that there is much to like about the current state of the U.S. economy, as well as from both freight and commercial vehicle demand perspectives.“From an economic standpoint... Read Story

According to the latest release of the State of the Industry: U.S. Classes 3-8 Used Trucks, published by ACT Research, used Class 8 volumes (same dealer sales) grew for all time periods, up 28 percent sequentially, 25 percent higher year over year... Read Story

According to ACT Research’s recently released Transportation Digest, the current business environment for heavy-duty trucks doesn’t get much better than this.“Demand for commercial vehicles in North America is about as good as we’ve seen in 35 years... Read Story

ACT Research released its newest commercial electric vehicle (CEV) study, Charging Forward: 2020-2040 BEV & FCEV Forecast & Analysis, to charter subscribers on April 1 and is now making this report available to the public. This report is a follow-up... Read Story

Preliminary reports from trailer OEMs indicate 29,500 new trailer orders were booked in March, ACT Research reported. That was 12 percent better than February and more than triple the volume seen last year, when COVID-driven pressures began to... Read Story

ACT Research released the latest installment of the ACT Freight Forecast, U.S. Rate and Volume OUTLOOK report.Tim Denoyer, ACT Research’s Vice President and Senior Analyst, said, “With visibility on a strong freight cycle still unusually good, this... Read Story

According to ACT Research’s latest release of the North American Commercial Vehicle OUTLOOK, the list of things to like from the current economic, freight and commercial vehicle demand perspectives is long.According to Kenny Vieth, ACT’s President... Read Story

Preliminary NA Class 8 net orders in March were 40,000 units, down 10 percent from February, but a whopping 424 percent higher than March of last year’s COVID-stricken intake. NA Classes 5-7 demand, with orders at 31,400 units, were up 19 percent... Read Story

According to the latest release of the State of the Industry: U.S. Classes 3-8 Used Trucks, published by ACT Research, used Class 8 volumes (same dealer sales) fell sequentially (-7 percent month over month), while average sale price, miles and age... Read Story

February net U.S. trailer orders of 26,414 units fell nearly 16 percent from January, but rose almost 88 percent compared to February of 2020. Before accounting for cancellations, new orders of 28,300 units were down 14 percent versus January, but 74... Read Story

According to ACT Research’s recently released Transportation Digest, supply will be the determining factor of this year’s heavy-duty vehicle market – not demand, which remains hot.“All the indicators we use to track the heavy-duty truck market point... Read Story

Preliminary used Class 8 volumes (same dealer sales) fell 6 percent month over month and 8 percent year over year in February, but are 5 percent higher on a year-to-date basis compared to this time last year, according to the latest preliminary... Read Story

According to the recently released N.A. Commercial Vehicle On-Highway Engine OUTLOOK, published by ACT Research and Rhein Associates, the Biden administration’s focus includes prioritizing investment in new low carbon technologies to strengthen U.S.... Read Story

ACT Research released the latest installment of the ACT Freight Forecast, U.S. Rate and Volume OUTLOOK report. Tim Denoyer, ACT Research’s Vice President and Senior Analyst, said, “Pushing commercial vehicle demand forward, freight rates ended... Read Story

According to ACT Research’s latest release of the North American Commercial Vehicle OUTLOOK, the demand story for commercial vehicles remains unchanged this year, but the supply chain’s ability to respond to demand will be the key determinant of... Read Story

In the release of its Commercial Vehicle Dealer Digest, ACT Research reported that the freight-generating sectors of the economy are the strongest sectors at the start of 2021, with carrier profitability expected to rise to record levels this year... Read Story

The latest release of ACT Research’s For-Hire Trucking Index, with January data, showed a Driver Availability Index that has tightened to its lowest point in the past three years.The ACT For-Hire Trucking Index is a monthly survey of for-hire... Read Story

According to ACT Research’s recently released Transportation Digest, the heavy-duty truck market exploded off the starting blocks at the beginning of the year, with order numbers that build on 2020’s strong close.“The massive supply-demand imbalance... Read Story

Preliminary NA Class 8 net orders in February were 43,800 units, up 4 percent from January, and a 212 percent improvement from year-ago February. NA Classes 5-7 demand, with orders at 25,400 units, slid 4 percent sequentially but were still up 12... Read Story

According to this quarter’s issue of ACT Research’s Trailer Components Report, trailer net orders have pushed the industry backlog higher for the past seven months, with January’s order level 66 percent above current build rates.ACT Research’s U.S.... Read Story

January net U.S. trailer orders of 30,680 units fell more than 30 percent from the previous month, but rose nearly 105 percent compared to January of 2020. Before accounting for cancellations, new orders of 32,100 units were down 30 percent versus... Read Story

Preliminary used Class 8 volumes (same dealer sales) fell 8 percent month-over-month in January, but are 14 percent higher year-over-year compared to 2020, according to the latest preliminary release of the State of the Industry: U.S. Classes 3-8... Read Story

Preliminary reports indicate that January net order volume of 29,100 trailers was up 94 percent from the same month last year. That was also down 33 percent from December 2020 bookings, according to ACT Research. Final January volume will be... Read Story

According to ACT Research’s latest release of the North American Commercial Vehicle OUTLOOK, the demand story for commercial vehicles remains unchanged this year, but the supply chain’s ability to respond to demand will be the key determinant of... Read Story

Preliminary NA Class 8 net orders in January were 42,200 units, down 17 percent from December, but a 146 percent improvement from year-ago January. NA Classes 5-7 demand, with orders at 25,300 units, slid 28 percent sequentially but were still up 26... Read Story

According to the latest release of the State of the Industry: U.S. Classes 3-8 Used Trucks, published by ACT Research, used Class 8 same dealer sales volumes, average price and average age all rose month over month, up 13 percent, 3 percent and 1... Read Story

According to ACT Research’s recently released Transportation Digest, 2020 wasn’t all bad for truck transportation and the heavy-duty market. It wasn’t even half bad. It was one quarter bad.“The shock and magnitude of the second quarter economic... Read Story

December net U.S. trailer orders of 43,806 units grew 11 percent from the previous month and were up nearly 150 percent year-over-year. Before accounting for cancellations, new orders of 45,800 units were up 11 percent versus November, but 148... Read Story

According to ACT Research’s latest State of the Industry: NA Classes 5-8 Report, challenges facing commercial vehicle OEMs and suppliers in January 2021 are vastly different from those being addressed one year ago.“To repurpose a phrase, commercial... Read Story

Preliminary used Class 8 volumes (same dealer sales) rose 11 percent month-over-month in December, and are 25 percent higher year-to-date compared to 2019, according to the latest preliminary release of the State of the Industry: U.S. Classes 3-8... Read Story

Preliminary NA Class 8 net orders in December were 50,900 units, down 2 percent from November, but a 153 percent improvement from year-ago December. NA Classes 5-7 demand, with orders at 35,100 units, rose 28 percent sequentially and 73 percent... Read Story

According to the latest release of the State of the Industry: U.S. Classes 3-8 Used Trucks, published by ACT Research, used Class 8 same dealer sales volumes, average miles and average age all declined month over month, down 22 percent, 2 percent and... Read Story

November net U.S. trailer orders of 39,645 units fell nearly 28 percent from the previous month, but that followed a two-month order surge and still indicates a solid month. Net orders were up 100 percent year-over-year and more than 30 percent year... Read Story

In the release of its Commercial Vehicle Dealer Digest, ACT Research reported the strength in new commercial vehicle demand can be summed with strength in freight rates.“Despite, or arguably because of, the pandemic-related pause in Q2, commercial... Read Story

According to ACT Research’s recently released Transportation Digest, the 2020 heavy-duty truck market will close on a robust note, setting the stage for 2021.“Next year will certainly show significant year-over-year growth, as the industry builds on... Read Story

Preliminary information for November indicates that the U.S. trailer industry booked 39,500 net orders for the month, according to ACT Research. While down 28 percent from October, November volume was nearly double that seen in the same month last... Read Story

ACT Research released the latest installment of the ACT Freight Forecast, U.S. Rate and Volume OUTLOOK report.Tim Denoyer, ACT Research’s Vice President and Senior Analyst, said, “Freight is typically not a backlog business, but in the holiday season... Read Story

According to ACT Research’s latest release of the North American Commercial Vehicle OUTLOOK, the strength in new commercial vehicle demand is a direct result of strength in freight rates.According to Kenny Vieth, ACT’s President and Senior Analyst... Read Story

According to the recently released N.A. Commercial Vehicle On-Highway Engine OUTLOOK, published by ACT Research and Rhein Associates, the U.S. economy continues to improve, despite setbacks with increased COVID cases across the country. Additionally... Read Story

Preliminary NA Class 8 net orders in November were 51,900 units, up 33 percent from October and a 197 percent improvement from year-ago November. NA Classes 5-7 demand continued in-line with recent activity, at 27,200 units. That order volume... Read Story

According to ACT Research’s recently released Transportation Digest, from big fleets to owner-operators, and their vocational counterparts, motor carriers across-the-board have ridden a down-and-up roller coaster this year.“We’ve been tracking a... Read Story

October net U.S. trailer orders of 54,691 units posted another sequential improvement, up nearly 7 percent from September’s rise and well above October 2019’s level (up 70 percent). Before accounting for cancellations, new orders of 57,000 units were... Read Story

According to ACT Research’s (ACT) latest State of the Industry: NA Classes 5-8 Report, the pandemic’s toll has not been evenly distributed across the U.S. economy. Transportation is one segment that has fared better than others, and that, in turn... Read Story

Preliminary used Class 8 volumes (same dealer sales) dropped 10 percent month-over-month in October, but are 10 percent higher year-to-date compared to the first 10 months of 2019, according to the latest preliminary release of the State of the... Read Story

ACT Research released the latest installment of the ACT Freight Forecast, U.S. Rate and Volume OUTLOOK report.Tim Denoyer, ACT Research’s Vice President and Senior Analyst, said, “The substitution of spending to goods and away from services is... Read Story

ACT Research reported preliminary information for October indicates the U.S. trailer industry booked 54,200 net orders for the month, up 6 percent from September and more than 68 percent better than the same month last year. Before accounting for... Read Story

According to ACT Research’s latest release of the North American Commercial Vehicle OUTLOOK, even before the pandemic plunge in Q2, there was never serious doubt that the demand for commercial vehicles would rise in 2021.According to Kenny Vieth... Read Story

Preliminary NA Class 8 net orders in October were 38,900 units, up 27 percent from September and a 78 percent improvement from year-ago October. NA Classes 5-7 demand jumped to a 10-quarter high (March 2018) in October, to 29,300 units. That order... Read Story

September net U.S. trailer orders of 51,208 units were a significant improvement (up 82 percent) from August’s uptick and well above September 2019’s level (up 174 percent). Before accounting for cancellations, new orders of 52,000 units were up 77... Read Story

According to ACT Research’s (ACT) latest State of the Industry: NA Classes 5-8 Report, there are any number of concerns regarding the economy in coming months, but one thing that definitely can be crossed off the worry list is commercial vehicle... Read Story

ACT Research released the latest installment of the ACT Freight Forecast, U.S. Rate and Volume OUTLOOK report.“Although we expect some easing in the truckload market after the holidays due to driver pay increases and the end of extended unemployment... Read Story

Preliminary NA Class 8 net orders in September were 31,100 units, up 60 percent from August and a whopping 145 percent from an easy year-ago comparison. The NA Classes 5-7 market saw orders at a healthy 26,900 units, up 37 percent month-over-month... Read Story

The latest release of ACT Research’s For-Hire Trucking Index, with August data, showed a continuing tight trucking market, with volume and rate surges ongoing and driver availability deteriorating. August’s Volume Index rose to 67.9 (SA), and... Read Story

August net U.S. trailer orders of 28,139 units were a significant improvement (up 49 percent) from July’s uptick and well above August 2019’s level (up 160 percent). Before accounting for cancellations, new orders of 29,000 units were up 46 percent... Read Story

According to ACT Research’s (ACT) latest State of the Industry: NA Classes 5-8 Report, the US economy is recovering from the early-year pandemic-driven shutdowns, but on a K-shaped trajectory, rather than the earlier speculated V, U or L-like paths.... Read Story

Preliminary information for August indicates the U.S. trailer industry booked 27,500 net orders for the month, a 46 percent improvement from July and more than 150 percent better than the same month last year, ACT Research reported. Before accounting... Read Story

ACT Research released the September installment of the ACT Freight Forecast, U.S. Rate and Volume OUTLOOK report.Tim Denoyer, ACT Research’s Vice President and Senior Analyst, said, “The nearly two-year freight recession is finally ending, but the... Read Story

Preliminary NA Class 8 net orders in August were 19,500 units, down 4 percent from July, but up 75 percent from an easy year-ago comparison. The NA Classes 5-7 market saw orders at a healthy 19,400 units, up 16 percent month-over-month, but 2 percent... Read Story

According to the recently released N.A. Commercial Vehicle On-Highway Engine OUTLOOK, published by ACT Research and Rhein Associates, economic indicators in recent months suggest the worst of the COVID-19 impact is in the rearview mirror. The report... Read Story

In the release of its Commercial Vehicle Dealer Digest, ACT Research reported that freight markets continue to be less impacted by the pandemic than the economy at large, and that a vaccine is seen as the key to unlocking a more broad-based recovery... Read Story

According to ACT Research’s recently released Transportation Digest, COVID-19 is just one of several factors that could impact commercial vehicle forecasts now and in the foreseeable future.“The general trend of the COVID contagion curve through July... Read Story

According to the latest release of the State of the Industry: U.S. Classes 3-8 Used Trucks, published by ACT Research, used Class 8 same dealer sales volumes were up 13 percent year-to-date against the first seven months of 2019, with average price... Read Story

According to this quarter’s issue of ACT Research’s Trailer Components Report, analysis of the last decade of trailer production shows that the industry opened the year at an average production pace until the shelter-in-place lockdowns began in late... Read Story

July net U.S. trailer orders of 18,851 units were a significant improvement (up 40 percent) from June’s uptick and well above July 2019’s level (up 80 percent). Before accounting for cancellations, new orders of 20,000 units were up 26 percent versus... Read Story

According to ACT Research’s (ACT) latest State of the Industry: NA Classes 5-8 Report, the U.S. economy continued to post good numbers in July, including a 1.2 percent month-over-month increase in retail sales, indicating that consumers’ wallets... Read Story

Preliminary used Class 8 volumes (same dealer sales) grew 16 percent month-over-month in July, according to the latest preliminary release of the State of the Industry: U.S. Classes 3-8 Used Trucks published by ACT Research. Longer-term, volumes rose... Read Story

ACT Research released the August installment of the ACT Freight Forecast, U.S. Rate and Volume OUTLOOK report. Tim Denoyer, ACT Research’s Vice President and Senior Analyst, said, “A freight recovery amidst a driver shortage has driven an acutely... Read Story

Preliminary NA Class 8 net orders in July were 20,300 units, rising 27 percent from June, and up 98 percent from a very easy year-ago comparison. The NA Classes 5-7 market saw orders slip to 16,700 units, down 6 percent month-over-month and 3 percent... Read Story

According to the latest release of the State of the Industry: U.S. Classes 3-8 Used Trucks, published by ACT Research, used Class 8 same dealer sales volumes were up 6% year-to-date against the first half of 2019, with average price, miles and age... Read Story

In the release of its Commercial Vehicle Dealer Digest, ACT Research reported that the impact of more people and politicians taking the threat of the virus more seriously is a choppy economic path forward.In recognition of the virus’ impact, ACT... Read Story

According to ACT Research’s recently released Transportation Digest, the tug of war between positive and negative influences on the business environment and trucking reached a pivotal juncture at the end of June, but escalation in new COVID cases... Read Story

June net U.S. trailer orders of 13,441 units were a significant improvement (333 percent) from May’s very low comparison, arriving dramatically above June 2019’s level, up 112 percent. Before accounting for cancellations, new orders of 16,000 units... Read Story

According to ACT Research’s (ACT) latest State of the Industry: NA Classes 5-8 Report, May and June have returned to something closer to life as usual, following the shutdowns of March and April. “A survey of the current business landscape shows a... Read Story

Preliminary used Class 8 volumes (same dealer sales) grew 54 percent month-over-month in June, according to the latest preliminary release of the State of the Industry: U.S. Classes 3-8 Used Trucks published by ACT Research. Longer-term, volumes rose... Read Story

Preliminary NA Class 8 net orders in June were 16,000 units, rising 139 percent from May, and up 23 percent from a very easy year-ago comparison, ACT Research reported. The NA Classes 5-7 market saw orders improve 77 percent month-over-month, despite... Read Story

In the release of its Commercial Vehicle Dealer Digest, ACT Research found much more to like about the state of the economy today than was visible on month ago, now that the US re-opening is underway.In recognition of the virus’ impact, ACT Research... Read Story

According to ACT Research’s recently released Transportation Digest, the shock waves of the COVID-19 recession continue to depress both the North American and global economies, with June marking the fourth month of what will go down in the record... Read Story

The latest release of ACT Research’s For-Hire Trucking Index, with May data, showed significant improvement in all five diffusion index measures tracked. May’s Volume Index rose from 19.3 in April to 50.2, with capacity also at the neutral 50 mark... Read Story

May net U.S. trailer orders of 3,107 units were a significant improvement from April, but net orders remain below May 2019’s level, down 71 percent. Before accounting for cancellations, new orders of 7,400 units were up 29 percent versus April... Read Story

According to ACT Research’s (ACT) latest State of the Industry: NA Classes 5-8 Report, the economy continues to re-open with some very big numbers being reported on easy comparisons, after falling sharply the past few months.“Hand-in-hand with the re... Read Story

Preliminary NA Class 8 net orders in May were 6,700 units, up 56 percent from April, but down 38 percent from a very easy year-ago comparison. Living up to its “steady” moniker, the NA Classes 5-7 market saw orders improve 5.3 percent... Read Story

In the release of its Commercial Vehicle Dealer Digest, ACT Research is predicting that the economy will transition from contraction to growth over the course of Q3 and Q4, acknowledging that after the current focus on saving lives will come the... Read Story

According to the latest release of the State of the Industry: U.S. Classes 3-8 Used Trucks, published by ACT Research, Used Class 8 same dealer sales volumes dropped 15 percent month-over-month in April, with longer-term sales dropping 7 percent year... Read Story

According to ACT Research’s recently released Transportation Digest, the COVID-19 pandemic is having its most severe impact on North American, and global, economic activity now. The report noted the extent of the shock was a near total surprise to... Read Story

According to ACT Research’s latest State of the Industry: NA Classes 5-8 Report, COVID-19 was in evidence across the commercial vehicle statistics in April, with Class 8 net orders at their lowest level since September 1995 and medium-duty orders at... Read Story

Preliminary April net U.S. trailer orders were 250 units, an all-time monthly low for the industry. Volume was 97 percent down from March and 98 percent below the same month last year, ACT Research reported.That all-time low volume resulted from a... Read Story

According to this quarter’s issue of ACT Research’s Trailer Components Report, the U.S. trailer industry has shifted from the production/capacity challenges of the last three years, with their corresponding pressures on the component and material... Read Story

Preliminary used Class 8 volumes (same dealer sales) contracted 8 percent month-over-month in 2020’s fourth month, according to the latest preliminary release of the State of the Industry: U.S. Classes 3-8 Used Trucks published by ACT Research.... Read Story

According to ACT Research’s latest release of the North American Commercial Vehicle OUTLOOK, 2021 is being forecast as the transition year, as the global economies and North American commercial vehicle demand move from COVID-19’s negative impacts... Read Story

Preliminary NA Classes 5-7 net orders in April fell to 7,600 units, down 69 percent compared to year-ago April and 50 percent below the March order intake. Complete industry data for April, including final order numbers, will be published by ACT... Read Story

Preliminary NA Class 8 net orders in April fell to 4,100 units, down 46 percent from March and 72 percent lower than an easy year-ago comparison. Complete industry data for April, including final order numbers, will be published by ACT Research in... Read Story

In the release of its Commercial Vehicle Dealer Digest, ACT Research reported that the North American commercial vehicle market, as well as the global economy, addressed the spiraling pandemic with shutdown announcements, but the report continued by... Read Story

According to the latest release of the State of the Industry: U.S. Classes 3-8 Used Trucks, published by ACT Research, used Class 8 same dealer sales volumes dropped just 1 percent month-over-month in March, with longer-term sales rising 5 percent... Read Story

The latest release of ACT Research’s For-Hire Trucking Index, with March data, showed further contraction for both volumes and freight rates, now at 42.4 and 43.2 respective diffusion index readings. Productivity, while neutral at 50.0, likely was... Read Story

March net U.S. trailer orders of 7,600 units were down 43 percent month-over-month and 51 percent below the previous year. Before accounting for cancellations, new orders of 13,200 were down 14 percent versus February, according to this month’s issue... Read Story

Preliminary used Class 8 volumes (same dealer sales) contracted 8 percent month-over-month in March, according to the latest preliminary release of the State of the Industry: U.S. Classes 3-8 Used Trucks published by ACT Research. Longer-term... Read Story

According to ACT Research’s latest release of the North American Commercial Vehicle OUTLOOK, the continued spread of COVID-19 over the past month has resulted in freefalling GDP assumptions, and by extension freight volumes, carrier profits and... Read Story

ACT Research released the April installment of the ACT Freight Forecast, U.S. Rate and Volume OUTLOOK report. For the truckload spot market, the report forecasts rates for the next 12 to 15 months.This month, it introduced TL spot rates forecasts for... Read Story

In the release of its Commercial Vehicle Dealer Digest, ACT Research reported that, starting in the second half of February, COVID-19 went from a China containment story to one of spiraling pandemic.“There are times when the world that you thought... Read Story

Preliminary NA Class 8 net orders in March fell to 7,800 units, down 45 percent from February and 51 percent lower than an easy year-ago comparison. March’s Classes 5-7 net orders were 14,700 units, down 36 percent from February and 31 percent from... Read Story

According to the latest release of the State of the Industry: U.S. Classes 3-8 Used Trucks, published by ACT Research, used Class 8 same dealer sales volumes improved 14 percent month-over-month in February, with longer-term sales rising 9 percent... Read Story

Preliminary used Class 8 volumes (same dealer sales) increased 21 percent month-over-month in 2020’s second month, according to the latest preliminary release of the State of the Industry: U.S. Classes 3-8 Used Trucks published by ACT Research.... Read Story

February net U.S. trailer orders of 12,700 units were down 15 percent month-over-month and 45 percent below the previous year. Before accounting for cancellations, new orders of 14,800 were down 12 percent versus January, according to this month’s... Read Story