According to the latest numbers from ACT Research, seasonally adjusted trailer orders came in at 14,700 units for August, down 6% over the previous month.
While clouds on the trailer-market horizon still bear watching, this is the seasonally weakest time of the year for forward-looking metrics, ACT noted.
“With orders still in seasonal retreat, coupled with the recent near-record order backlogs, this month’s intake met expectations on a consolidated level,” said Jennifer McNealy, director of CV market research and publications at ACT Research. “As expected, production outpaced orders again in August, dropping trailer backlogs 14% compared to July and 23% versus August 2022, to nearly 136,000 units (156k seasonally adjusted), leaving them at diminished but still strong levels.”
McNealy reported that in August, there were mixed and generally weaker fleet commitments compared to the previous month. The total cancellations rose to 3.2% of the backlog, up from July’s 1.7%, returning to the levels seen in May and June. She also noted that OEMs continue to attribute most cancellations to dealers. Additionally, there have been instances of cancellations and re-bookings related to the transition to the 2024 model year, as order slots shift from the old model year to the new one.
