Class 8 booked 28,150 net new orders in December, while Classes 5-7 posted 22,450 net orders, according to the numbers from ACT Research Co.’s latest State of the Industry report.

“The U.S. Class 8 sleeper tractor segment had its best production and sales year in history,” noted Steve Tam, ACT’s vice president for the commercial vehicle sector. “Carriers anxious to take advantage of more fuel efficient trucks, spurred by strong freight rate growth in the first part of the year, get the nod as the drivers behind the story. The class 5-7 market also closed 2015 on a high note, with orders up more than 4% compared to 2014.”

Tam commented, however, that 2016 is expected to be a different situation: “Faced with excess freight hauling capacity and slowing freight growth, freight rates have softened to the point where many truckers are now taking a wait-and-see approach before committing to more new equipment.”