COLUMBUS, Ind. — January preliminary North American Class 8 net orders were 27,000 units, up 600 units from December and 45% from a year ago, according to ACT Research.
Complete industry data for January, including final order numbers, will be published by ACT Research in mid-February.
“Weak freight and carrier profitability fundamentals, and large carriers guiding to lower capex in 2024, would imply some pressure in the North American Class 8 market’s largest segment, U.S. tractor,” said Kenny Vieth, ACT’s president and senior analyst. “While we do not yet have the underlying detail for January orders, Class 8 demand continuing at high levels at the start of 2024 suggests that over-the-road US truckers are still buying.”
With the third largest seasonal factor of the year, 11%, seasonal adjustment pushes January’s Class 8 intake to 24,300 units, up 17% from December.
“North American Classes 5-7 net orders were 20,300 units in December, up 16% year-over-year,” Vieth said. “Unlike Class 8, medium duty seasonality is modestly positive in January, boosting the seasonally adjusted order tally to 20,800 units, down 21% month-over-month from a tough best-month-of-2023 December comp.”
Born in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, and raised in East Texas, John Worthen returned to his home state to attend college in 1998 and decided to make his life in The Natural State. Worthen is a 20-year veteran of the journalism industry and has covered just about every topic there is. He has a passion for writing and telling stories. He has worked as a beat reporter and bureau chief for a statewide newspaper and as managing editor of a regional newspaper in Arkansas. Additionally, Worthen has been a prolific freelance journalist for two decades, and has been published in several travel magazines and on travel websites.
