ACT Research

The latest release of ACT’s For-Hire Trucking Index showed an improvement in freight volumes and truck productivity in January, after a soft finish to 2018. The Volume Index rose to 52.0 in January, from 49.0 in December. Regarding the supply-demand balance reading, Tim Denoyer, ACT Research’s Vice President and Senior Analyst commented, “The recovery in […]

ACT’s preliminary estimate for January 2019 net trailer orders is 25,800 units. Final volume will be available later this month. Our methodology allows us to generate a preliminary estimate of the market that should be within +/- 3% of the final order tally. “While the industry had the weakest January order volume since 2016, it […]

While overall economic conditions are better balanced than they were a month ago, freight data remain soft, according to ACT Research’s (ACT) latest State of the Industry: Classes 5-8 Report. “Slower freight growth, an easing of driver supply constraints, the resumption of the long-run freight productivity trend, and strong Class 8 tractor fleet growth will […]

Preliminary used Class 8 volumes (same dealer sales) improved moderately in January, rising 4% month-over-month, following two sequential declines, according to the latest preliminary release of the State of the Industry: U.S. Classes 3-8 Used Trucks published by ACT Research. However, the report indicated that longer-term comparisons yielded a 19% decline compared to January 2018. […]

According to ACT Research’s (ACT) latest release of the North American Commercial Vehicle OUTLOOK, yellow lights continue to flash for the US economy, and by extension for the North American commercial vehicle industry. “While the outlook has less of an orange tinge, sufficient caution flags remain to keep the yellow light burning regarding the near […]

Preliminary North America Class 8 net order data show the industry booked 15,800 units in January, down 26% from December and 68% from year-ago January. Note that these numbers are preliminary. Complete industry data for January, including final order numbers, will be published by ACT Research in mid-February. “With near-record backlogs in both the medium […]

US and Canadian Natural Gas Class 8 truck retail sales rose 13% in 2017, but shed 23% year-to-date through November 2018, according to a recent quarterly report (AFQ: Alternative Fuels Quarterly) released by ACT Research. Year-to-date sales at this point in 2017 were up 9%. “On a nominal basis, natural gas retail sales are down […]

The average price of total used Class 8 trucks sold in 2018 was up 10% compared to 2017, according to the latest release of the State of the Industry: U.S. Classes 3-8 Used Trucks, published by ACT Research. The report also indicated that used Class 8 same dealer sales volumes fell 9% m/m, but rose […]

US trailer order volume slid sequentially for the third month in a row, but it’s all relative when one considers that nearly 28,000 net orders were posted in December, according to this month’s issue of ACT Research’s State of the Industry: U.S. Trailer Report. The report explains that the long-running order stream that started in […]

ACT Research recently noted, in the release of its Commercial Vehicle Dealer Digest, that heavy commercial vehicle markets continue to benefit from a still-broad spectrum of supply and demand-side triggers. Three of the key considerations ACT has been reviewing include the fact that freight rate markdown is from record levels, the addition of new technologies […]