Trailer orders up year-over-year
Nearly 44,000 net orders were posted in December, the second strongest month on record for the trailer industry, according to the research published by ACT Research Co. For total year 2014, net orders were 359,000, up nearly 55% over 2013. “The industry orderboard has reached a level not seen in almost 20 years,” said Frank
Class 8 used truck volumes down in 2014, pricing up
Total reported volumes of used Class 8 trucks improved to 2,078 units in December, rising by 8% month over month, according to the latest release of the State of the Industry, published by ACT Research. “For total 2014, used Class 8 truck volumes were down 5%, and average miles decreased by 2%,” said Steve Tam,
December heavy-duty trailer orders at near record level
FTR reported that December U.S. trailer net orders were recorded at 45,500—the second highest month ever recorded. Trailer orders for 2014 totaled over 360,000, by far the best order year ever, according to the research firm. The company noted that dry van orders set an all-time record, as OEMs aggressively sought orders to book into
Strong commercial vehicle demand helped 2014 end on a high note
Class 8 orders topped 40,000 units for a third consecutive month in December at 44,060, and Class 5-7 orders reached their highest monthly volume since 2008 at 22,964 units, reported ACT Research Co. in its latest State of the Industry report. “For the year, 380,200 net orders were placed, up 42% from 2013, as Class
Class 5-8 demand ends year on a high
Demand for commercial vehicles was healthy in December, according to ACT Research. ACT’s preliminary numbers state that 65,700 total North America Class 5-8 orders were booked, up 41% from a year ago. Over the past 12 months, North American Class 5-8 net orders have totaled 602,300 units—an average of more than 50,000 orders per month.
North American Class 8 orders again top 40,000 in December
FTR released preliminary data showing December 2014 North American Class 8 truck net orders at 43,620, the third consecutive month above the 40,000 level. According to the research firm, December’s order strength, unlike the previous two months, was broad based among OEMs, with almost all manufacturers showing healthy increases from the previous month indicating an
FTR hosts State of Freight webinar
On Thursday, Jan. 8 at 11 a.m. EDT, FTR macro-economy expert and senior consultant Bill Witte will review developments in the economy and discuss the economic outlook in 2015 during a complimentary State of Freight webinar. The 30-minute webinar, moderated by Eric Starks, president of FTR, will examine the major sectors of the economy and
State of the industry: 2014 recap
As we continue to see more sophisticated technology integrated into commercial vehicles, and as fleets continue to add new trucks like they have over the course of this past year, fleets have also had to update technician and driver training to bring those folks up-to-speed on the changes—and what those mean for maintenance and driving
FTR’s Trucking Conditions Index remains in positive territory
At a reading of 8.53, FTR‘s Trucking Conditions Index fell only slightly from September’s level reflecting still strong fundamentals for trucking firms. According to FTR, underlying capacity utilization is retreating from the dangerous 99% level reached earlier in 2014, and the market is expected to remain tight. FTR forecasts capacity to ease very modestly in 2015
November Class 5-8 preliminary orders healthy
Demand for commercial vehicles was healthy in November as 58,500 total North American Class 5-8 orders were booked, up 48% from a year ago, according to ACT Research. ACT added that over the past 12 months, North American Class 5-8 net orders have totaled 583,200 units, representing the strongest 12-month period of North American Class
Persistent capacity shortages affect shippers conditions
FTR reported that its Shippers Conditions Index (SCI) for September was -6.6, basically unchanged from the previous month. The index reflects continued capacity shortages that degrade service and push rates higher, said FTR. With sustained capacity tightness and fleets now announcing pay increases, FTR expects that the cost to ship goods will remain elevated. FTR
Class 8 used truck volumes flat in October
Total reported volumes of used Class 8 trucks were flat in October, rising by 1% month over month, according to the latest release of the ACT Research‘s recent State of the Industry: U.S. Classes 3-8 Used Trucks report. “The month over month gain came from the retail market which rose 4%, but results were tempered