March was the first month in the past six months in which Class 5-8 medium- and heavy-duty orders fell below the 50,000 unit mark, according to ACT Research. For the month, 44,700 Class 5-8 preliminary vehicle orders were booked, down 2% compared to March 2014.
“As expected, Class 8 order activity moderated into March as 25,100 North America net orders were booked,” said Steve Tam, vice president of commercial vehicle sector. “Down 9% compared to last year, March’s orders marked the end of a twenty-five month streak of consecutive year-over-year gains. Rather than signaling weakness in the market, March’s lower intake is more akin to turning the tap down as the pool nears the full mark.”
Medium-duty orders extended their run of year-over-year gains, with six of the past seven months now showing positive, according to the research firm. For the month, Class 5-7 net orders slipped to 19,600 units, down 1% from February, but up 8% compared to a year ago, ACT said.
Seasonal adjustment discounts March’s activity, pulling the month’s orders down to 19,100 units.
For more information on ACT, visit www.actresearch.net.