Trailer orders surged in September after some manufacturers opened up their 2022 order books, according to preliminary data from ACT Research.

ACT reported net orders of 28,500 units in September, up 130% from August but down 45% from last September.

“We’ve been awaiting the opening of the 2022 orderboard, and that finally occurred during September. While demand remains very strong, that action was not universal as the market was a mix of OEMs accepting orders while some remain on the sidelines. Concerns about component and materials pricing and availability, as well as staffing challenges, were noted as the major reasons for continued reticence in order acceptance,” said Frank Maly, director – commercial vehicle transportation analysis and research with ACT Research.

“The major impetus in September came from dry van orders, which will extend already long lead times further into next year. There was also a notable churn in the backlog, as new orders approached 34,000 trailers for the month. That means cancellations came in at the highest level since April of this year, but it appears many were due to cancel/re-orders, as some delivery commitments likely shifted from 2021 to 2022. With fleet demand still strong, expect further order strength in upcoming months, as more OEMs begin to book orders for the new year.”