Medium-duty net orders totaled 13,242 in March, down 3% from February, but up 10% year-over-year, and Class 8 orders dropped 10% month-over-month and 35% year-over-year, to a total of 16,354 units, according to ACT Research Co. (ACT).
“Medium and heavy demand trends continue to follow the sectors of the economy that drive their respective cycles,” said Kenny Vieth, ACT’s president and senior analyst. “For medium-duty vehicles, the consumer economy continues to produce good outcomes as job and income growth support healthy demand for big-ticket durable goods and housing.
“For Class 8, there are too many trucks chasing insufficient freight. Low prices across the commodity spectrum have rolled back investment, cutting demand for machinery. In addition, the strength of the U.S. dollar has made U.S. manufactured goods less competitive in global markets.”
He added that the March net order volume for Class 8 was lower than had been seen since late 2012.