Canadian Class 8 orders dip in Dec. while U.S. numbers climb
COLUMBUS, IN – Tight freight capacity helped North American Class 8 orders close-out 2017 at a three-year high.
According to analysts at ACT Research, the market saw orders reach record-levels in the United States, with an increase of 127% year-over-year for December. Order markets in Canada weren’t as robust, with a reported decline in Class 8 orders of 49% for the month.
Orders surpassed 37,500 units in December, boosting backlogs and contributing to an overall strong year for Class 8s.
More than 313,000 units were ordered in 2017, making the year the third-best in history according to the analysts.
Preliminary trailer orders for December were up as well, with a 30% increase over the same month in 2016.
The 45,000 trailer orders – supported by dry van and refrigerated (reefer) volume – made it the second-best order month in history, says ACT.
The company credits a confluence of last-quarter events for the order surge, including driver shortages, hurricanes, and the strongest holiday season since 2010, combing to create a capacity shortfall responsible for destabilizing supply and demand, reports Truck News.
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