Preliminary net trailer orders in August were little more than 250 units higher than July’s 8,800 level, a 3% month-to-month increase. At 9,000 units booked in August, order intake was 17% above last August’s level. Seasonal adjustment (SA) at this point in the annual order cycle remains favorable, raising August’s tally to 11,500 units. Final August results will be available later this month. This preliminary market estimate is typically within ±5% of the final order tally.
“Sequentially, higher August net order intake was expected, as the annual cycle begins to move toward stronger order months at the end of Q3 when the industry begins opening next year’s orderboards,” said Jennifer McNealy, Director CV Market Research & Publications at ACT Research. She added, “August’s tally brings the year-to-date net order total to 109.8k units, about 23% better than the same eight-month order intake of 2024. Looking forward, concern continues that moderating economic activity, ongoing weak for-hire carrier profitability, and ambiguous policy shifts remain as challenges to stronger trailer demand. Ongoing near-term uncertainty is why ACT’s expectations for subdued build and lackluster order intake levels during 2025 remain intact. Simply put, there isn’t enough impetus in the current hesitant environment to support a more robust outlook.”
She concluded, “Additionally, preliminary data show cancel rates remain elevated, albeit at a tamer level in August, at around 1.9% of the backlog, compared to the 4.2% of backlog reported in June.”
State of the Industry: U.S. Trailers Report Overview
ACT Research’s State of the Industry: U.S. Trailers report provides a monthly review of the current US trailer market statistics, as well as trailer OEM build plans and market indicators divided by all major trailer types, including backlogs, build, inventory, new orders, cancellations, net orders, and factory shipments. It is accompanied by a database that gives historical information from 1996 to the present, as well as a ready-to-use graph packet, to allow organizations in the trailer production supply chain, and those following the investment value of trailers, trailer OEMs, and suppliers to better understand the market.
ACT Research Overview
ACT Research is recognized as the leading publisher of commercial vehicle truck, trailer, and bus industry data, market analysis, and forecasts for the North America and China markets. ACT’s analytical services are used by all major North American truck and trailer manufacturers and their suppliers, as well as banking and investment companies. ACT Research is a contributor to the Blue Chip Economic Indicators and a member of the Wall Street Journal Economic Forecast Panel. ACT Research executives have received peer recognition, including election to the Board of Directors of the National Association for Business Economics, appointment as Consulting Economist to the National Private Truck Council, and the Lawrence R. Klein Award for Blue Chip Economic Indicators’ Most Accurate Economic Forecast over a four-year period. ACT Research senior staff members have earned accolades including Chicago Federal Reserve Automotive Outlook Symposium Best Overall Forecast, Wall Street Journal Top Economic Outlook, and USA Today Top 10 Economic Forecasters. More information can be found at www.actresearch.net.
Additional Resources
Net order intake in July was 8.8k units, 43% lower than June’s high-side surprise, but more than 19% higher than the subdued level of orders accepted last July, according to this month’s issue of ACT Research’s State of the Industry: U.S. Trailers report.
“This puts the year-to-date order tally at 100.7k units, 23% higher than the 81.8k bookings for the first seven months of 2024,” said Jennifer McNealy, Director–CV Market Research & Publications at ACT Research. “At this point, weaker intake continues to be expected through at least mid-Q3 when more of the industry's 2026 order books open.”
“As the industry remains in the weaker months of the annual order cycle, build again outpaced orders in July. Trailer production was about double order placements. As a result, backlogs contracted 11% sequentially and remain sharply lower against 2024’s already soft backdrop,” McNealy concluded.
- Orders: 8.8k, -43% m/m, +19% y/y
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