May preliminary North America Class 8 net orders were 23,200 units, up 46 percent m/m and 49 percent y/y on soft comparisons. Complete industry data for May, including final order numbers, will be published by ACT Research in mid-June.

“Market observers may recall that demand typically slows in Q2. However, surprises are always lurking. Class 8 preliminary order intake provided May’s drama, effectively zigging when they were expected to zag,” said Steve Tam, ACT’s Vice President and Analyst. “Ample open build slots in Q3 and Q4, combined with the OEMs’ desire to achieve some semblance of balance with respect to the impending prebuy likely impacted May’s order activity. While we do not have complete visibility at this point, the strength is presumably driven by private and vocational fleets, supplemented by an ongoing healthy appetite for equipment in Mexico.”

Regarding medium duty orders, Tam added, “A picture of stability, North America Classes 5-7 net orders were 18,900 units in May, up 0.2 percent m/m, but down 6.9 percent y/y.”