COLUMBUS, Ind. -- Class 8 preliminary net orders for August recovered from July, while Classes 5-7 net orders were at their lowest level since January, according to a report from ACT Research. The final numbers, which will be released mid-September by ACT, will approach 16,200 units for heavy-duty Class 8 trucks and 13,900 for medium-duty Classes 5-7 vehicles, officials said. The preliminary net order numbers are typically accurate to within 5% of actual.
“Class 8 orders were still caught between the economic soft patch and seasonality,” said Kenny Vieth, president and senior analyst at ACT Research. "When seasonally adjusted, orders were the best since February at 18,400 units.
“Seasonal adjustment provides no cushion for Classes 5-7, however. Seasonally adjusted, medium-duty orders dropped to 13,100 units, another seven-month low. RVs, and to a lesser extent, buses, offset stronger truck orders during the month.”