Net trailer orders for December has resulted in the second-highest monthly volume recorded in history, according to US market research company, ACT Research.
“Major support came from dry vans, which posted their highest net order monthly volume in history. Eight of ten trailer categories were up m/m, while a similar count was up y/y,” said Frank Maly, Director – CV Transportation Analysis and Research at ACT Research.
He continued, “For the full year, industry net orders were up 38 per cent, and robust orderboards are encouraging fleets to submit orders to obtain preferred/acceptable delivery timing for 2018.”
“December net order volume was the second best in history, only trailing the October 2014 all-time record of more than 47,000 units,” said Maly.
“Contributing last month were solid performances for both dry vans and reefers. The stay of GHG2 regulations helped move fleets into the market last month, and continued demand for freight transport and solid freight rates contributed to their ongoing confidence. Lengthening OEM backlogs also helped encourage fleets onto the order board,” he said.
For the year, fleets ordered more than 313,000 trailers, a 38 per cent improvement versus 2016, ranking 2017 as the third highest order year in history, trailing only 2014 and 2015, according to ACT Research. Eight of the ten trailer categories were positive year-over-year, with bulk tanks, flatbeds, and dry vans posting the strongest gains.