TheTrucker.com

ACT Research: Preliminary Class 8 net tractor orders see healthy December

Reading Time: < 1 minute
ACT Research: Preliminary Class 8 net tractor orders see healthy December
Preliminary North American Class 8 net tractor orders in December totaled 30,300 units, while Classes 5-7 net orders were 17,700 units, according to ACT Research.

COLUMBUS, Ind. — Preliminary North American Class 8 net tractor orders in December totaled 30,300 units, while Classes 5-7 net orders were 17,700 units, according to ACT Research.

The Class 8 market is segmented into trucks and tractors, with and without sleeper cabs.

The report includes a six-month industry build plan, a backlog timing analysis, historical data from 1996 to the present in spreadsheet format, and a ready-to-use graph package. A first-look at preliminary net orders is also published in conjunction with this report.

“At first glance, December’s seasonally adjusted (SA) intake was 4% below the year-to-date monthly average heading into the month,” Eric Crawford, ACT vice president and senior analyst, said. “On the surface, and when combined with a 26% m/m decline on an SA basis, that might suggest some weakening in demand. But when factoring in the year-end seasonal uptick in orders began a month ahead of schedule this year (September), which skewed the year-to-date SA average upward, and that September orders represented the highest monthly total on record, we’re inclined to view December’s order intake as a solid end to a robust final four months of the year.”

About medium-duty (MD) orders, he added, “MD demand was decent. December Classes 5-7 orders declined 17% month-over-month to 17,700 units.”

Crawford said large cancellations, reflecting a multi-quarter correction in cancellation reporting, impacted the volumes at one of the large OEM groups, which had the effect of pulling down on December’s MD and HD activity.

“While ACT does not have the data specifics at this juncture, the cancellations will be reported when December data are released mid-month,” he said.

The Trucker News Staff

The Trucker News Staff produces engaging content for not only TheTrucker.com, but also The Trucker Newspaper, which has been serving the trucking industry for more than 30 years. With a focus on drivers, the Trucker News Staff aims to provide relevant, objective content pertaining to the trucking segment of the transportation industry. The Trucker News Staff is based in Little Rock, Arkansas.

Avatar for The Trucker News Staff
The Trucker News Staff produces engaging content for not only TheTrucker.com, but also The Trucker Newspaper, which has been serving the trucking industry for more than 30 years. With a focus on drivers, the Trucker News Staff aims to provide relevant, objective content pertaining to the trucking segment of the transportation industry. The Trucker News Staff is based in Little Rock, Arkansas.
For over 30 years, the objective of The Trucker editorial team has been to produce content focused on truck drivers that is relevant, objective and engaging. After reading this article, feel free to leave a comment about this article or the topics covered in this article for the author or the other readers to enjoy. Let them know what you think! We always enjoy hearing from our readers.

COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE