If 2013 was characterized as ‘The Great Okay,’ then what will 2014 hold in store? Could it be the year of getting back to business? Early – and I mean very early – indications are that large fleet buyers are ready to invest in new equipment. December’s preliminary Class 8 orders came in 50% stronger than November’s, as well as last December’s.

FTR reported preliminary data that showed net orders surging to 31,506 units, marking the first time orders have surpassed 30,000 units since April 2011. That’s also the highest December total in eight years.

“Orders were exceptionally strong in December,” said Don Ake, v.p. of commercial vehicles, FTR. “Order activity was well balanced across sectors and manufacturers. The strong showing puts OEMs on track to meet first quarter targets and provides momentum headed into the second quarter. Fleets and dealers are showing more optimism. This is a very welcome sign and good news for the industry. One thing to note is that when you look at orders over the last two months, it shows an average of 26,200 units and is exactly in line with what our expectations were for orders just a few months ago.”