Trends & Headlines
Freight & Commercial Vehicle Market Trends & Headlines
When the market changes, the press turns to ACT. For 40 years, our foresight has made headlines — follow our analyst commentary and media features shaping the future of trucks, trailers, freight and disruptive technologies.
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April 2026
Truck fleet, capacity, rates & outlook - The Intermodal Logistics Podcast
February 2026
Market Pulse: Trucking's (many) risks and uncertainties in 2026
February 2026
Market Pulse: Class 8 orders finally up—Are carriers feeling better?
February 2026
Element Three - Steve Tam of ACT Research
December 2025
DAT iQ Live w/ Tim Denoyer: Ep. 366
November 2025
Trucking With OOIDA - Everything’s “Okay-ish”: Looking for Silver Linings on the Freight Market
November 2025
Fetch Freight - Freight Forecast: Planning for 2026
September 2025
Market Pulse: Heavy-duty truck demand is low, OEMs cutting production
September 2025
Tracking truckload (from IANA EXPO) - The Intermodal Logistics Podcast
September 2025
Market Pulse: New truck demand is dropping; used truck prices are rising
September 2025
Market Pulse: Where's the electric truck market headed now?
September 2025
Market Pulse: For-hire trucking's overcapacity problem—and its eventual solution
August 2025
Market Pulse: When will freight demand finally improve?
August 2025
Market Pulse: Analyst's outlook for tariffs: hurting what trucks haul
July 2025
Market Pulse: How the truck market is reacting to today's freight
April 2025
Navigating economic uncertainty in trucking amid Trump tariffs: Market Pulse with ACT Research
April 2025
Market Pulse: Trump’s regulatory timeline shifts trucking focus
February 2025
Market Pulse: Navigating 2025’s early used truck market amid tariffs and uncertainty
January 2025
Trump's emissions impact: Talking regulations on Market Pulse with ACT Research and FleetOwner
December 2024
FleetOwner Market Pulse with ACT Research: A look back and ahead from 2024 to 2025
DAT iQ Live
DAT iQ Market Update with Tim Denoyer: Ep. 320
August 2024
FleetOwner Market Pulse with ACT Research: What does a Fed cut mean for trucking?
Optym - Episode 26
Research's role in trucking | Tim Denoyer of ACT Research
July 2024
FleetOwner Market Pulse with ACT Research
DAT iQ Live
DAT's Data Analytics team examines current freight market conditions: Ep. 300
DAT iQ Live
DAT's Data Analytics team examines current freight market conditions: Ep. 287
ACT Research & Arrive Logistics
The Freight Cycle and Supply Visibility
Fetch Freight & ACT Research
2024 Freight Forecast: Truckload Rates & Market Trends Webinar
TruckTractorTrailer.com
STTTREAM: Steve Tam
Fleet Equipment
What recession? And what comes next?
April 2026 Coverage
- ACT Research: March 2026 Class 8 Orders Reach 38,050 Units
- ACT: For-Hire Index emphasizes supply-driven freight recovery
- Did someone say driver shortage? ACT says tightening capacity is back
- ACT Research: Driver shortage begins
- Driver shortages and rising transportation rates in the United States
- March N.A. Class 8 orders up 131%
- ACT: Trailer industry still mired in challenging market environment
- US Trailer Orders Defy Seasonal Slowdown With March Gain
- ACT: March Class 8 orders strengthen
- March Class 8 orders march on with 38,000 units tallied
- U.S. Trailer Orders Defy Seasonal Slowdown With March Gain
- Trailer orders jumped 42% in March
- ACT: Preliminary net trailer orders see surprise hike in March
- A very good month of March for used truck sales.
- US Class 8 Retail Sales Fall 20% in March
- ACT: Used truck sales grow stronger, values hold the line
- ACT: Used truck sales strengthen in March as values maintain
- US trailer market headwinds enter 2026
- Tightening capacity, reduced regs spurring Class 8 market strength
- Class 8 Orders Surge More Than 100% for Second Straight Month
- Freight Cycle Gains Momentum as Diesel Prices Tighten Capacity
- ACT: Preliminary March Class 8 orders up 126% y/y
- ACT Research: Used Truck Sales Rise 24% in February
- Used Truck Sales Beat Seasonal Expectations in February
Previous Month's Coverage
OPINION | EDITORIAL: Econ 101: Keep on trucking
ACT: Freight cycle finding a higher gear
ACT: February used truck sales exceed seasonal expectations
Final February used data trends positive
ACT Research: Rising Diesel Costs Tighten Freight Capacity, Lift Rates
ACT Research: February Used Truck Sales Exceeded Seasonal Expectations
ACT Research: For-Hire Supply-Demand Balance Hit 4.5-Year High in February
ACT: Trucking Volumes Rise, Capacity Tightens as Fuel Prices Cloud Outlook
ACT: For-hire supply-demand balance hits 4.5-year high in February
ACT: Trailer industry backlogs fall in February
February Class 8 orders up a whopping 157%
February Class 8 Orders Totaled 46.4K Units, ACT Research
ACT: Final Class 8 orders up 157% y/y in February
Class 8 Order Activity 2026 Shows Early Signs of Recovery
ACT: Preliminary used truck sales up 24% in February
ACT Research: Preliminary Net Trailer Order Activity Met Lower Expectations in February
ACT: Preliminary net trailer orders down 43% in February
ACT Research: Used Truck Buyers Thaw as Spring Looms
Trailer orders plummeted in February
156% Y/Y Rise in February ’26 Class 8 Orders, According to ACT Research Data
ACT Research: Recent Class 8 Data Suggest Optimism is Growing for 2026
Q2 Reefer & Perishable Forecast 2026
ACT Research: For-Hire Volume Declines Outweighed Capacity Contractions in January
February Class 8 Orders Surge 156% From Prior Year
ACT: Class 8 orders spur growing optimism for 2026
ACT sees growing optimsm in Class 8 order data
For-Hire Volume Declines Outweighed Capacity Contractions in January
Freight Rates Spike as Weather and Capacity Tighten Truckload Market
ACT Research: Preliminary Classes 5-8 Net Orders for February
ACT: Challenges remain for U.S. trailer industry
ACT: Preliminary February Class 8 orders up 156% y/y
Used Truck Sales Gain Ground During Typically Weak January
ACT Research: Trailer Orders Strong in January
ACT Research: Demand Steady, But Used Class 8 Market Down 5% M/M
ACT Research: January Used Truck Sales Returned to Sequential Decline
January Sees 12% Drop in Class 8 Used Truck Sales, ACT Research Reports
ACT Research: Challenges Remain for Trailer Industry Despite Recent Data Uptick
ACT Research: Truckload Cycle Finding a Higher Gear
North American Heavy Truck Orders Surge in February - ACT Research
The (many) risks and uncertainties facing trucking today
Orders for Class 8 are finally up. Are carriers feeling better?
ACT Research Industry Sentiment Shifts Toward Cautious Optimism for 2026
ACT Research says used truck sales sink in January
ACT Research: CV and Freight Market Data Suggest Cautious Optimism for 2026
ACT: January Class 8 orders remain solid
Final January orders up 20% year over year, ACT Research says
ACT Research: Industry Sentiment Shifting to Cautious Optimism for 2026
ACT sees an adjustment in road transport capacity in the EU
ACT finds industry more optimistic at seminar
ACT Research: Preliminary Net Trailer Order Activity Remained Above 20k Units in January
ACT: Winter weather freezes used truck buyers
US Medium‑Duty Market Extends Yearlong Decline
ACT shows used truck sales pull back in January
ACT Research: Blustery Winter Weather Freezes Used Truck Buyers
ACT: Preliminary January net trailer orders down 8%
Used Class 8 Sales Remain Below 2015 Levels
ACT: Class 8 data suggests growing optimism for 2026
ACT Research’s 74th Market Vitals Seminar to Analyze 2026-2029 Forecasts
Factors that could ignite Class 8 demand are finally improving
ACT Research: Recent Class 8 Data Suggest Optimism is Growing for 2026
December Used Class 8 Truck Sales Gain Year Over Year
ACT: January preliminary Class 8 orders up 20% y/y
December Used Class 8 Truck Sales Gain Year Over Year
Tesla’s Semi Is Finally Hitting The Road. The Timing Couldn’t Be Worse
ACT Research: Preliminary Classes 5-8 Net Orders for January
ACT Research: Freight Market Hanging in the Balance
Class 8 orders jumped 16% in December
ACT Research Marks 40 Years in Commercial Vehicle Market Intelligence
ACT Research: Trailer Industry Saw Highest BL/BU Ratio of 2025 in December
2025 ends with surge of new Class 8 truck sales — but not enough to offset declines
ACT Research: For-Hire Index Saw Green Shoots in December
ACT Research: December Used Truck Sales Volume Higher than Expected
ACT Research: Freight Market Hanging in the Balance
Trailer Orders End Year With Sequential Jump
ACT: December has highest BL/BU rate of 2025
ACT: Supply and demand balance sees rise in December
Mixed economic data points to slow freight market growth into 2026
ACT: December used truck sale volume higher than expected
The Supreme Court's invalidation of Trump's tariffs could revive trucking, says ACT Research
ACT Research: December Class 8 Orders Rise to 42.7K Units
ACT Research: December Class 8 Orders Totaled 42.7k Units
ACT Research: Freight Market Faces Uncertainty as Weather, Tariffs and Equipment Trends Collide
Trailer backlog nearly cut in half in 2025 amid order woes, cancellations
December used truck volumes higher than anticipated
ACT Research: December Used Truck Sale Volume Higher than Expected
ACT Research: 2026 Begins with Signs of Cautious Optimism for Heavy Trucks
ACT: Final December Class 8 numbers surge
ATD Truck Beat: Commercial Truck Sales Down 13.6% in 2025
ACT Research: Preliminary Net Trailer Order Activity Reached a Level Not Seen in Two Years
ACT: Final December Class 8 orders hit 42,000 units
ACT: Preliminary trailer orders hit two-year high in December
Trailer orders jumped 112% in December
Used Class 8 truck sales jump in December as prices rise to $57,135
ACT Research Sees Cautious Optimism for Heavy Trucks in Early 2026
December trailer orders follow truck orders skyward
Used-truck sales surged, prices mixed, to end 2025 | Dart Transit sold to private equity group
ACT Research: Used Truck Sales Finish 2025 with a Bang
A strong end to 2025 for used truck sales
ACT: 2026 begins with signs of cautious optimism for heavy trucks
US heavy goods vehicle market with cautious optimism for 2026: ACT Research
ACT starts off 2026 cautiously optimistic
Will 2026 be the year? ACT’s Vieth on signs of market turnaround
Used-truck sales, prices surged to end 2025 | Dart Transit sold to private equity group
Used Truck Sales End Five-Month Run of Year-Over-Year Gains
ACT Research: Preliminary Class 8 Net Orders for December
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