North American Class 8 orders in January unexpectedly surged to the second-highest total amid new tax breaks, strong freight rates, dwindling production slots and efficient vertically integrated powertrains, analysts reported.

Orders for Class 8 trucks soared over a weak year-ago period to increase 63% and reach more than 22,000 in September, analysts said. Order volumes have increased consecutively in each of the last four months.

North American Class 8 orders blasted through normal expectations in July, climbing 81% year-over-year in what is typically the slowest order month of the year, analysts said.