COLUMBUS, Ind. – Trailer orders are down 37% year to date through April, but fleets are still willing to place orders, ACT Research reports.

“Year-to-date net orders through April were just over 80,000 units, down 37% from last year, but despite this, current orderboards still stretch to nearly year-end for the total industry,” said Frank Maly, director, commercial vehicle transportation analysis and research at ACT Research. “Order weakness is more a symptom of OEM reticence to fully open 2020 orderboards than fleets’ unwillingness to invest, as we’re hearing of OEMs actively gathering verbal commitments for the first half of 2020, with some orders reportedly being posted as ‘price pending’.”

ACT also noted an increase in cancellations in recent months

“However, trailer production continues at robust levels, with March of 2019 as the second highest production month in industry history,” Maly said. “ACT anticipates strong production levels through the remainder of this year, but see OEMs continuing to be challenged by component and material issues, as well as staffing.”