November 2025 was the worst November for U.S. sales of new Class 8 trucks since the “Great Recession” of 2008-2010, according to data received from Omdia. Manufacturers reported selling 12,479 Class 8 trucks in November, a decline of 15.1% from October sales of 14,690.
Compared to November of 2024, sales declined by nearly 7,200 trucks. That’s 36.5%.
With 11 months of 2025 gone, year-to-date sales are lagging 13.8% behind the 2024 pace with 30,000 fewer trucks sold. That percentage will undoubtedly grow larger when December sales numbers are added.
Orders for new trucks to be delivered in future months fell, too.
According to ACT Research, 19,547 trucks were ordered for the North American market in November, a decline of 48% from November 2024 orders.
“While the EPA’s (Environmental Protection Agency) 2027 clarity is positive, ongoing lack of for-hire carrier profitability is the main bottleneck for improved new vehicle demand,” said Carter Vieth, analyst for ACT Research. “While supply has started to come out of the market, demand is soft.”
Vieth points out the discrepancy between road tractors and Class 8 trucks sold for vocational uses such as dump, trash and concrete: While orders for vocational tractors declined 22% from November 2024 sales, fifth-wheel equipped road tractors saw a drastic drop of 55%.
The used truck market usually drops off in November — and this year followed suit.
Same-dealer sales fell 17% from October, according to ACT, landing at 15% lower than November 2024 sales. Average prices fell, too — by 3% from October and by 5% from November of last year. Oddly, the age of the average used truck sold increased by 5% from last year.
Orders for new trailers followed the downward trend in November.
According to FTR Transportation Intelligence, 13,071 trailers were ordered in November, a decline of 19% from October and down 45% from November 2024.
The ongoing overcapacity situation in the freight market has an impact on trailer ordering, but tariffs are a factor as well. Tariffs of 50% imposed on steel, aluminum and copper certainly impact trailer manufacturing.
Additionally, the U.S. International Trade Commission is currently investigating allegations of product “dumping” by trailer manufacturers in Canada, Mexico and China, spurred on by petitions filed by the American Trailer Manufacturers Coalition.
In many cases, it is easier for carriers to decide to delay ordering of new trailers than new tractors. Without drivetrains to wear out, trailers are easier to maintain. With income uncertainty due to low freight rates and pricing uncertainty due to tariffs and legal actions against foreign manufacturers, carriers are apparently choosing to delay ordering until the situation has more clarity.
Cancellations of trailer orders already placed are up as well.
“November’s cancellation rate, as a percentage of backlog, was 2.5%, with data continuing to show elevated cancellations in dry van and tank segments,” said Jennifer McNealy. Director of commercial vehicle market research and publications for ACT.
According to McNely, reduced production by manufacturers could result in problems if ordering increases in the coming months.
OEM performance for November 2025:
Freightliner, being the largest seller, has borne the greatest impact of all the OEMs, with year-to-date sales of 66,389 class 8 trucks. That total is 13,310 fewer than Freightliner’s 2024 pace. After claiming 36.6% of U.S. sales for January to November last year, its percentage of the market as fallen 1.2% to 35.3% this year. Year-to-date sales have declined 16.7% compared to 13.8% for all manufacturers combined.
Western Star, the other Daimler Truck-owned U.S. manufacturer, has actually sold more trucks in 2025 than in the prior year — one of only two of the major OEMs to do so. Because of the company’s smaller size, however, the 1.6% sales increase only amounts to 169 more trucks, bringing Western Star’s total to 10,416 units sold.
The other OEM to experience a sales gain in 2025 is Mack Truck. November Mack sales of 1,083 fell 18.7% behind October numbers and were 9.4% lower than November 2024 sales figures. For the year to date, however, Mack’s reported 15,965 units sold is running 10.4% ahead of its 2024 pace and the company’s share of the U.S. Class 8 market has grown to 8.5%, an improvement of 1.9% from last year.
Mack is owned by Volvo Truck, which also markets under the Volvo nameplate. The numbers aren’t so favorable on that side of the house.
Volvo reported U.S. sales of 1,355 for November, down 12.2% from October sales and down 11.8% from November 2024 deliveries. YTD, 16,659 Volvo Class 8 trucks have been sold, a decline of 23.3% from its 2024 pace. The company’s share of the Class 8 market has declined from 10% last year to its current 8.9%
For perspective, while Mack Class 8 sales rose by 1,508 so far this year, Volvo’s declined by 5,048.
International’s U.S. sales have paced the industry in 2025, running 13.6% behind last year’s pace compared to 13.8% combined for all manufacturers. In November, International reported U.S. sales of 1,234, down 27.3% from October’s 1,697 less than half of November 2024 reported sales of 2,630. The company’s share of the new, Class 8 market has held steady from last year at 11%.
November sales of Kenworths dropped 20.2% from October with 1,786 reported sold. That figure is down 36.4% from November 2024 sales of 2,809. For the year so far, Kenworth sales of 28,668 are down 13.9% compared to 13.8% for all OEMs combined, and the company’s market share holds at 15.3%.
Peterbilt sales numbers are similar, with reported sales of 1,906 in November, down 15.3% from October and down 33.7% from November 2024. For the year to date, Peterbilt sales of 29,023 are 15.5% behind its pace for 2024 and the company has lost 0.3% of its share of the market.
Outlook for 2026:
Industry analysts will be keeping a close eye on sales of trucks and trailers as capacity continues to shrink. As rates increase, sales will invariably pick up. Beleaguered carriers are hoping for some months of profitability before trucking enters its next downcycle. Evidently, the long-anticipated reduction in trucking industry capacity is finally in full swing.
Cliff Abbott is an experienced commercial vehicle driver and owner-operator who still holds a CDL in his home state of Alabama. In nearly 40 years in trucking, he’s been an instructor and trainer and has managed safety and recruiting operations for several carriers. Having never lost his love of the road, Cliff has written a book and hundreds of songs and has been writing for The Trucker for more than a decade.
