COLUMBUS, Ind. – The industry booked 54,200 trailers in October, according to preliminary data from ACT Research, making it the third best month ever.

It displaced September from its one-month stand as third best month.

Orders were up 6% from September and 68% year-over-year.

“September’s rank as third-best month in industry history was short-lived, as October activity now takes that title,” said Frank Maly, director of commercial vehicle transportation analysis and research at ACT Research.

“Fleet commitments over the past two months have now pushed industry backlog to the highest level since June of last year. Increases in both freight volumes and rates, along with capacity challenges, have influenced fleets to aggressively enter the market. Current production rates would result in industry backlogs extending into next July. Expect OEMs to adjust build rates upward to take advantage of this positive shift in fleet investment.”