COLUMBUS, Ind. – Natural gas-fueled Class 8 truck sales in the U.S. and Canada were up 43% year-to-date through May, according to ACT Research.

Its Alternative Fuels Quarterly report also revealed natural gas truck sales were up 10% in May compared to April, and up 60% year-over-year.

“Bucking the early decline pattern of the past few years, cumulative sales for the first five months of 2019 appear to be gaining ground,” said Ken Vieth, senior partner and general manager at ACT Research. “Despite soft reports in three of the first five months this year, sales of natural gas-powered vehicles are on an overall upward trajectory, gaining 10% month-over-month, 60% compared to May of 2018, and showing 43% improvement against the first five months of last year.”

Vieth said natural gas vehicle purchases are predominantly coming from the refuse sector. Most are replacement vehicles.