ECONOMIC TRUCKING TRENDS: Trailer orders remain weak, spot market wipes out pre-Labor Day gains

Trailer orders continued to be weak in August, a whopping 10,000 units off 10-year August norms. With truck makers opening their 2026 order boards, the next few months will be…

OEMs want emissions regulation clarity, consistency between Canada, U.S.

With the clock rapidly ticking toward January 2027, truck and engine manufacturers are nervous about the uncertainty that’s been cast over emissions regulations they’ve already spent more than five years…

Who will pay the tariffs? Much of the cost will be borne by equipment buyers.

Trucks and trailers carrying a tariff surcharge are being treated like hot potatoes – no one wants to buy them or own them for fear the tariffs will be suddenly…

Trailer makers adapt as fleets stall trailer purchases in face of weak freight market

Demand for new trailers is weak, and expected to remain so, until freight demand recovers in the second half of 2026 and in 2027. That was the grim news Dan…

Three things that could drive excess capacity from the trucking market

With little hope of a near-term increase in freight demand, carriers are eyeing an exit of capacity as the path back to improved profitability. Trucking capacity became bloated in the…

Truck and trailer dealers see decrease in sales, without corresponding boom in parts and service

Truck and trailer dealers have traditionally been able to weather the up-and-down cycles of the market because when sales are down and trade cycles are extended, there’s normally a corresponding…

Truck makers need to be cautious on production as Class 8 demand remains weak: FTR

Class 8 truck manufacturers need to be vigilant about managing production in light of weak demand, with no near-term catalysts for a sharp improvement in sight. That was the message…

No truck OEM spared from impact of tariffs

Manufacturing every truck for the North American market would insulate a truck manufacturer from the impact of tariffs, right? Think again. “We are feeling it now,” said Jonathan Randall, president…

Could Canadian trucking suffer collateral damage as U.S. cracks down on foreign drivers?

These are strange days in cross-border trucking. And we’d better be on high alert. Trucking has been making mainstream news in the U.S., and that’s rarely a good thing. First,…

ECONOMIC TRUCKING TRENDS: Class 8 orders remain weak, spot market rates rise

Truck OEMs are about to open their 2026 order books, but industry analysts don’t expect fleets to rush to place orders. There remains too much economic and tariff-related uncertainty and…

Insurers consider implications of U.S. speed limiter proposal termination

A proposal to enforce speed limiters on heavy trucks operating within the U.S. has been dropped, creating some truck fleet insurance implications for cross-border operators. The U.S. Federal…

Canadian economy contracts 1.6% in Q2 as tariffs hit, StatCan says

The Canadian economy contracted in the second quarter under the weight of U.S. tariffs, Statistics Canada said Friday. Real gross domestic product declined 1.6% on an annualized basis in the…

ECONOMIC TRUCKING TRENDS: Spot market reveals shifting trade patterns, ACT warns of tariff ‘air pockets’ ahead

The Canadian spot market was soft overall in July, but southbound loads spiked, creating some opportunities for cross-border carriers. ACT Research warns of more tariff-related air pockets ahead, and notes…

McKinsey & Company research examines impact of tariffs on truck OEMs

Commercial truck makers in North America will be challenged by an uncertain tariff environment in the short-term but will be able to benefit from increased aftermarket parts sales and services…

ECONOMIC TRUCKING TRENDS: Spot market rates and truck tonnage improved, while trailer orders fell sharply

It was a mixed bag of economic trucking news over the past week, with an uptick in for-hire truck tonnage and improving rates on the spot market for van and…