March Preliminary Net Orders Top 20,000 for Sixth Straight Month: ACT

Class 8 net orders were above 20,000 units for a sixth consecutive month in March, but fell below February’s intake, according to ACT Research.

Classes 5-7 net orders were down month-over-month and year-over-year. The final numbers, which will be released mid-April, will approach 22,100 units for Class 8 and 15,200 for Classes 5-7 vehicles and trucks. The preliminary net order numbers are typically accurate to within 5% of actual.

“While down month-over-month, March’s Class 8 net orders were up 10% year-over-year and were the fourth best in the past thirteen months,” said Kenny Vieth, president and senior analyst, ACT Research. “For medium duty, the tough year-over-year comparisons mask an otherwise solid order month. March’s medium-duty order volume was the fourth best in the past 20 months. Historically, March has been the second strongest order month of the year for MD vehicles.”