3 days agoACT Research: For-Hire Trucking Index Shows Continued Declines in AprilFreight volumes, rates, and capacity continued their decline in April, according to the latest release of ACT’s For-Hire Trucking Index. The Trucking Volume Index weakened further in April, at 37.6 versus 44.6 in March. …Trucking4 min readTrucking4 min read
4 days agoACT Research: Analysts Forecast Higher Trailer Build in 2023 at the Expense of 2024According to this quarter’s issue of ACT Research’s Trailer Components & Raw Materials Forecast, OEMs are reporting that their orderboards for 2023 are fully open, with most booked through the end of the year (a few with spots still available in Q4), and some trailer makers are taking orders into…Trailers3 min readTrailers3 min read
6 days agoACT Research: US Trailer Industry Orderboards for 2023 are Fully Open and Nearly Fully CommittedDuring the past six months, trailer manufacturers and major suppliers have largely indicated stable business conditions as compared to each prior month. Responses for May, relative to April, were in line with this trend. That said, this month’s discussions indicated softer demand for 2024 and mixed concern regarding the supply…Trailers3 min readTrailers3 min read
May 18ACT Research: Classes 5–8 Production Exceeded Build Plans Again; Retail Sales Remain RobustGiven the relatively weak environment for orders, combined with a fairly healthy supply chain, Class 8 backlog should be on a downward trajectory until 2024 orderboards open. April was no exception, with backlog down 15.1k units m/m to 203.1k, …Trucks3 min readTrucks3 min read
May 16ACT Research: Preliminary Net Trailer Orders Decline; Facing Seasonal, Cyclical HeadwindsApril’s preliminary net trailer orders decreased sequentially, and were lower against longer-term comparisons, with 10,000 units (11,900 seasonally adjusted) projected to have been booked during the month. Final April results will be available later this month. This preliminary market estimate should be within +/-5% of the final order tally. “Preliminary…Trucking3 min readTrucking3 min read
May 16ACT Research: US Freight Cycle Near Bottom as Capacity Begins to TightenThe freight cycle remains clearly weak, according to the latest release of the ACT Freight Forecast, U.S. Rate and Volume OUTLOOK report, but there are rays of light at the end of the tunnel. …Freight Shipping3 min readFreight Shipping3 min read
May 15ACT Research: Preliminary Used Truck Same Dealer Retail Sales Shrank 22% M/M in AprilThe preliminary Class 8 same dealer used truck retail sales volume balloon deflated in April, shrinking 22% m/m. The decline split the difference with the auction and wholesale markets. As expected, auction activity pulled back (-45%) from March’s quarter-end spike. On the flip side, wholesale deals were up 130% m/m. …Used Trucks3 min readUsed Trucks3 min read
May 11ACT Research: Analysts Forecast Strong Class 8 Production and Sales to Exhaust Pent-up Demand in 2023Class 8 demand to this point has remained relatively resilient, but ACT Research sees clear softening in big fleet profitability and other ancillary metrics. Expectations, as published in the latest release of the North American Commercial Vehicle OUTLOOK, are that current strong production and sales in the face of weak…Trucking3 min readTrucking3 min read
May 2ACT Research: Class 8 Truck Orders at 11,600 Units in April, down 27% Y/YPreliminary NA Class 8 net orders in April were 11,600 units, down 27% y/y (-39% m/m), while preliminary Classes 5–7 net orders were 18,000 units, down 10% y/y (-6% m/m). Complete industry data for April, including final order numbers, will be published by ACT Research in mid-May. “Given robust Class…Trucks3 min readTrucks3 min read
Apr 27ACT Research: For-Hire Trucking Index Freight Rates Lowest Since April 2020Freight volumes improved, but remained weak, in March, and rates declined further, according to the latest release of ACT’s For-Hire Trucking Index. The Trucking Volume Index declined by less in March, at 45.3 (SA) versus 43.1 in February. …Freight Shipping4 min readFreight Shipping4 min read
