October net U.S. trailer orders of 54,691 units posted another sequential improvement, up nearly 7 percent from September’s rise and well above October 2019’s level (up 70 percent). Before accounting for cancellations, new orders of 57,000 units were up 9 percent versus September and 52 percent better year-over-year, according to this month’s issue of ACT Research’s State of the Industry: U.S. Trailer Report.

“September net orders were the third best in industry history, a short-term rank quickly displaced by October’s volume of almost 54,700 net orders,” said Frank Maly, Director–CV Transportation Analysis and Research at ACT Research. “The majority of the total uptick was driven by the highest dry van net order month in industry history, and the majority of the surge in dry van orders was driven by large fleets.”

Maly continued, “Demand appears to cross a wide spectrum of customers, including for-hire and private fleets, likely buttressed by the growth in e-commerce and some dealer stocking commitments for next year.” He concluded, “This is leading to timely production slots rapidly being filled, which generates a demand ‘feedback’ loop, as other fleets, seeing availability lengthen, are also jumping into the market.”

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.