FTR reports that U.S. Trailer net orders for December were 25,500, with full year 2015 totaling 313,000 units. December trailer orders, even with -35% month-over-month and -43% year-over-year comparisons, met FTR’s expectations that orders would fall back into a more reasonable range after the robust activity in November 2015.

FTR’s numbers also found that dry van orders cooled after three strong months; that refrigerated vans and flatbeds were weaker due to cancellations, as OEMs cleaned up their backlogs at the end of the year; that December trailer build was down overall 3% from November, with both dry van and flatbed build rates slowing; that production of refrigerated vans was up 13% month-over-month; the liquid tank market remained steady, and dry tank production improved; and that the dump trailer market continues strong.

“The order numbers are down month-over-month and year-over-year, but that is only because they are compared to two of the strongest order months in history,” said Don Ake, FTR’s vice president of commercial vehicles. “We enter 2016 with the largest backlog ever, so we can expect another strong trailer year. The market continues to be driven by robust demand for dry and refrigerated vans. Consumer spending has been steady, and there is still some pent-up demand for vans. Production is expected to ease back moderately in the second half of 2016.”