August net U.S. trailer orders of 28,139 units were a significant improvement (up 49 percent) from July’s uptick and well above August 2019’s level (up 160 percent). Before accounting for cancellations, new orders of 29,000 units were up 46 percent versus July and 96 percent better year-over-year, according to this month’s issue of ACT Research’s State of the Industry: U.S. Trailer Report.

“Conversations in recent months have indicated a change in fleet perspective, frequently phrased as more requests for quotes, ongoing negotiations or a simple statement that ‘the phone is ringing a lot more lately’,” said Frank Maly, Director–CV Transportation Analysis and Research at ACT Research. “That shift started in late June, and we saw a minor gain in orders in July.”

Maly continued, “However, it’s still not all sunshine, as August’s orders included a substantial amount of large fleet demand, with strong e-commerce support, which bodes well for dry vans and reefers, but provides minimal benefit for vocational categories.”

He commented, “With large fleets seeing better volumes and rates, they may be moving with a more bullish perspective than we perceive, and while trailer OEMS welcome the interest, they are wondering if the recent order strength has ‘legs’.”

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.