COLUMBUS, Ind. — North American Class 8 net orders fell in July, with a preliminary count that totaled just 17,600 units, according to ACT Research.

Still, net orders were 36% stronger than the same month last year. ACT says the preliminary numbers “meet or exceed” their order intake assumptions.

Classes 5-7 net orders came in at 14,900 units, a 3% increase over July 2012.

“July’s medium-duty orders played follow-the-leader, mimicking the pattern of their larger Class 8 counterpart,” said Steve Tam, ACT’s vice-president, commercial vehicle sector. “The Class 8 backlog is likely to fall modestly in July as build plans called for production above the level of incoming orders. In the Classes 5-7 market, normally scheduled summer shutdowns should slow build, allowing for some replenishment of the backlog.”

Tam added, “Freight hauling capacity continues to tighten, while trucker profitability is also strengthening. Both factors bode well for increased truck demand in the near and mid-term.”