U.S. Trailer Net Orders Record Significant Sequential Improvement in May, But 71% Lower Y/Y

ACT Research says May’s net orders will still rank as the second weakest in industry history

May net US trailer orders of 3,107 units were a significant improvement from April, but net orders remain below May 2019’s level, down 71%. Before accounting for cancellations, new orders of 7.4k units were up 29% versus April, according to this month’s issue of ACT Research’s State of the Industry: U.S. Trailer Report.

“Although up from April’s record low, May’s net orders will still rank as the second weakest in industry history,” said Frank Maly, Director–CV Transportation Analysis and Research at ACT Research. He added, “There is little incentive for fleets to invest in new equipment right now.”

Maly continued, “While there has been a general re-opening of the US economy and some post-quarantine consumer-generated surges have been reported, caution continues to be the watchword.” He commented, “Significant apprehension is being expressed about small-to-medium fleets, and the concern is that the PPP lifelines many may have grasped will runout before a post-lockdown economy generates freight at sufficient volumes and profitable rates, which will have serious implications for both trailer OEMs and dealers.”

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