Trailer Orders Fall Amid Concerns Over 2020
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FTR reported preliminary net U.S. trailer orders for November dropped to 20,200 as fleets are becoming more cautious about freight conditions in 2020.
“There is no reason to order in large quantities like last year,” said Don Ake, vice president of commercial vehicles. “The supply of trailers has almost caught up with the demand for trailers, so ordering levels are flattening out and fleets are watching the market closely. There is still too much uncertainty regarding the economy, trade, tariffs and politics for companies to have a great deal of confidence right now for 2020.”
On a year-over-year comparison, orders also were down 55% from November 2018, when limits on trailer maker capacity resulted in carriers placing huge orders to lock in build slots throughout 2019.
Trailer orders for the past 12 months total 215,000 units. — Transport Topics
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