ACT Research’s preliminary estimate for September 2018 net trailer orders is 58,200 units—a monthly record net order volume.

“Fleets reached a never-before-seen trailer order level in September. OEMs booked over 58k trailers last month, shattering the previous record level of just over 47k orders which was set in October of 2014. That was more than 50 percent better than August orders and 135 percent better than this point last year,” said Frank Maly, ACT’s Director of CV Transportation Analysis & Research. Seasonally adjusted, September volume was just under 64,000, generating a seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) of almost 760,000 units.

Year-to-date, fleets have ordered over 295,000 trailers, more than 50 percent better than last year. While dry vans continue to post solid unit and percentage gains, both sequentially and year-over-year, preliminary results indicate that flatbeds posted the best month-over-month percentage improvement in September.

“Order strength was widespread, with nine of the ten trailer categories in the black on a year-over-year basis; grain trailers, the sole outlier, missing a positive result by less than a percentage point,” Maly added. “Year-to-date performance was nearly identical to the year-over-year results, an indication both consistent and longer-term industry-wide strength.”

Final September volume will be available later this month.