Preliminary data shows June Class 8 truck net orders at 18,606, 14% above a year ago, and year-to-date orders annualizing to 261,300, compared to total 2012 orders of 224,600 units, according to FTR Associates.
However, June’s total was down 18% less from May and it was the first month orders have been below 20,000 since November 2012.
“Orders were slightly below the general expectations but a decline was not surprising given the typical summer slowdown in orders,” said Jonathan Starks, FTR’s director of transportation analysis. “One month of a small drop in orders is not enough to have a substantial impact on our production forecast for 2013. HOS has begun but is unlikely to impact order activity (either up or down) for several months. For now it is business as usual."
Final data for June will be available from FTR later in the month as part of its North American Commercial Truck & Trailer Outlook service. Contact FTR Associates at ftr@ftrassociates.com or 1-888-988-1699 ext 1 for more details.