Year-Over-Year Gains Continue as Trailer Orders Top 21,000

U.S. trailer orders cruised past 21,000 in March, extending the streak of year-over-year gains to four months, ACT Research said.

Orders climbed to 21,500 units, up from 14,981 a year earlier, ACT said, citing preliminary data it will revise this month.

“The majority of that strength came from dry vans, which were roughly double last year’s level,” said Frank Maly, ACT’s director of commercial vehicle transportation analysis and research.

He added: “The order season normally starts strong in late summer to early fall and closes the first quarter at a more moderate pace. This order cycle has proceeded in almost the opposite pattern. In fact, the longer-term perspective shows the total net orders booked from last September through March is now almost equal to the 2015-16 order cycle volume.”