At 20,200 units, US research company ACT’s preliminary estimate for April trailer orders is six per cent below the March figure as the industry transitions into an expected low demand period.
“While net orders were off approximately six per cent from March, industry patterns actually call for some softening in volume as we exit the industry’s normal ‘order season’,” explained Frank Maly, ACT’s Director of CV Transportation Analysis and Research.
“On that basis, the April month-over-month decline is actually a bit less than we would have expected.
“Year-over-year, April orders were 22 per cent above the same month last year – that’s the fifth straight month of stronger volume on a year-over-year basis.”
According to Maly, the 2016-17 order season started slow, but gained momentum as it progressed. That momentum appeares to have carried into April, he added, as fleets continue to fine-tune their investment plans for this year.
“Our preliminary results indicate that dry vans continue to post solid numbers, while flatbeds appear to have garnered the best year-over-year order growth, on a percentage basis, last month.”