Preliminary Classes 5-8 data for March indicate industry net orders rose to a sixteen-month high, 47,300 units. That aggregate volume represents a 19% improvement compared to last March. Note that these numbers are preliminary. Complete industry data for March, including final order numbers, will be published in mid-April.

North American Class 8 net orders fell 100 units from February to 23,100 units. With a nominal, but positive, seasonal factor, adjustment boosts the month’s order intake to 23,400 units, an increase of 2% from February’s adjusted total. “Against easy comps, March Class 8 orders were up 42% compared to March 2016,” said Kenny Vieth, ACT’s President and Senior Analyst. He continued, “On a seasonally adjusted basis, orders were booked at a 267,000 unit SAAR in the first quarter.”

Preliminary, data show that North American Classes 5-7 net orders rose to 24,200 units in March, an increase of 5% from February and 3% from a year ago. While those comparisons were modest, March’s preliminary order volume represented the biggest MD order month in just over nine years, or since February 2008. “Since March is a seasonally strong order month, seasonal adjustment docks the month’s order volume to 22,200 units,” said Vieth. He continued, “Using this methodology, March orders failed to eclipse the January 2017 tally.”

ACT is the recognized leading publisher of new and used commercial vehicle (CV) industry data, market analysis and forecasting services for the North American market, as well as the China CV market. ACT’s CV services are used by all major North American truck and trailer manufacturers and their suppliers, as well as the banking and investment community.