Preliminary numbers for the month of February indicate that 39,500 Classes 5-8 vehicle orders were booked, a 9% increase compared to a year ago and 24% from January, according to ACT.
Class 8 garnered 17,900 orders and for Class 5-7 there were 21,600 orders booked.
“Orders for commercial vehicles in February largely mirrored the ongoing U.S. economic narrative,” said Kenny Vieth, ACT’s President and Senior Analyst. “Healthy consumer-related indicators, such as disposable income, autos and houses, continue to support positive medium-duty demand. At the same time, ongoing weakness in the freight-rich manufacturing sector continues to weigh on heavy-duty demand.
“February’s Class 8 orders fell 43% year-over-year against a tough February 2015 comparison. Class 8 orders were in-line with January, however, down just 2% in a shorter and seasonally weaker order month.”