Preliminary net trailer orders jumped about 3,800 units from February to March, an expansion of 21%. At 22,100 units, order intake was up a whopping 63% compared to March 2024. Seasonal adjustment (SA) at this point in the annual order cycle raises March’s tally to 23,100 units, and that’s about 34% above February’s seasonally adjusted intake. Final March results will be available later this month. This preliminary market estimate is typically within ±5% of the final order tally.

“Given that March marks the cyclical beginning of the weaker order months of the year, this month’s data certainly were a high-side surprise. That said, it is not that much of a surprise this year, amid the unprecedented environment in which we find ourselves presently, and we again caution that one month does not make, or in this case buck, the trend,” said Jennifer McNealy, Director CV Market Research & Publications at ACT Research.

She cautioned, “With weak for-hire truck market fundamentals, low used equipment valuations, relatively full inventories, high interest rates, and the ambiguity of policy shifts still in play, ACT’s expectations for subdued build and order intake levels during 2025 remain intact. While speculative, what we may be seeing in March’s data is a pull-forward of orders in advance of possible tariff-related cost increases to come. While good news for this month, pull-forward, if that is the case, means orders placed now will not need to be placed at a later date.”