There were 380,200 net orders placed for Class 8 trucks in 2014, up 42% from 2013, and Class 8 orders have topped expectations for eight consecutive months, according to ACT Research.
“The Q4 order volume of 130,900 units constitutes the strongest three-month stretch since a prebuy-inflamed Q1’06 when 140,000 net orders were booked,” said Kenny Vieth, ACT’s President and Senior Analyst.
Vieth said that while Classes 5-7 orders were not as robust as the recovery experienced by Class 8, the medium-duty market also experienced a very good 2014 with a particularly strong ending.
“For the full year, Classes 5-7 net order totaled 223,250 units – the best since 2006,” said Vieth. “The order improvement was broad based, with trucks up 15%, buses up 23%, and RVs up 17%. The only negative was step vans, which saw order decline 12%.”
Class 8 orders topped 40,000 units for a third consecutive month in December at 44,060, and Classes 5-7 orders reached their highest monthly volume since 2008 at 22,964 units.