Trailer orders are continuing their slide, according to the latest numbers from ACT Research Co., but such a pattern is to be expected this time of year. The 2 percent fall in commercial trailer net orders from June to July is the fourth consecutive month of declines, but the research firm is projecting order volumes to strengthen through the fall and winter. With a strong backlog and few cancellations, the seasonal Continue Reading

Used truck buying patterns are changing to adapt to what essentially has become a new marketplace. While lower mileage vehicles are typically prized by buyers, the strategy du jour–in light of recent economic struggles especially–has been to hang on to equipment even longer, thereby withholding inventory that in better days would have already found its way to market. Considering this, it comes as no surprise that Continue Reading

U.S. trailer orders dropped again in June, but it’s too soon to tell, according to analysts, whether this should be an industry-wide cause for concern. Despite a 26 percent decline from May and a 5 percent drop from June 2010, ACT Research Co. noted in its report that orders are still double what they were a year ago. Also, the research firm said, the lower order numbers were not a result of cancellations, but rather Continue Reading

According to the latest numbers, trailer orders are down, but some analysts say it was to be expected. A researcher with ACT Research Co., says the decline is in line with normal industry patterns and that, despite the slip, the backlog continues to grow, and is up 1 percent from April. The result is a full production slate for OEMs. Even better is that the number of cancellations is low. After several consecutive spikes in trailer Continue Reading

The good news is that truck and trailer orders are on the rise. The better news, perhaps, is that they are growing at such a pace, many OEMs and industry analysts are adjusting their sales forecast numbers as a result. Most major truck manufacturers told Fleet Owner they had upped their anticipated production numbers, while some even wondered if they might reach their peak of what they could physically produce in a year. For trailers, the order backlog continues to grow, even despite a 30 percent decline in net orders from March to April. ACT Research Co. analysts aren’t too concerned Continue Reading

Class 8 truck orders are posting double- and triple-digit increases, and while that’s good news, it’s creating another challenge, according to analysts. Order levels up 31 percent from March to April and up 157 percent in year-over-year numbers have created a backlog that’s nearing a five-year high. A senior analysts with ACT Research Co., is even predicting all the build slots for this year could be filled by July. The “good problem to have” will be Continue Reading

Used prices for heavy-duty Class 8 trucks continue to climb, according to the latest report from ACT Research Co. The average sales price rose 6 percent from February to March. The research firm is also reporting the average miles for vehicles in the used market also continued to increase. As inventory continues to be tight, the prediction is that used prices will continue to rise, particularly for late-model, lower-mileage vehicles. Data is based on the ACT Used Truck database participants, who report approximately 2,700 transactions per month. ACT estimates that approximately 10 percent of Continue Reading

Both sales of used Class 8 commercial vehicles and trailers finished last year strong, with sales being up 21 percent and 7 percent respectively from the previous month, according to the latest figures from ACT Research Co. Tight supply and strong demand for late-model, low-mileage trucks will continue to drive up prices of used Class 8 trucks. Overall, retail sales for used trucks were up 31 percent. Commercial trailer net orders, on the Continue Reading

The strengthening demand for Class 8 vehicles is being called “the start of the upcycle for the market” by ACT Research Co. (ACT) in its latest North American Commercial Vehicle Outlook. The forecast cites several factors for the uptick in business, such as improving freight volume, higher trucker profits and an aging fleet in need of replacement. As a result, the number of units of Class 8 trucks produced will be significantly higher than 2009′s depressing numbers, yet still below what is normal replacement demand. The good news, though, is that the forecast anticipates even stronger Class 8 demand for Continue Reading

Stronger demand and a shortage of newer late-model units has been driving up Class 8 tractor prices, but according to ACT Research Co., that may be starting to level off. For one, the volume of used Class 8 sales is slowing as the supply of desired models gets snapped up, with sales volume declining 16 percent month-over-month in October. ACT Research says ew truck production slipped from 133,000 units in 2008 to 95,000 units in 2009 and is expected to finish out 2010 with only around 110,000 units – not nearly enough to restock the used truck market significantly. That, along with Continue Reading