COLUMBUS, Ind. — Preliminary net trailer orders in March, at 18,800 units, show a surprise hike from February numbers.
March orders were up about 5,600 units from February’s 13,300-unit level, a 42% month-to-month increase. While up sequentially, orders were 14% below March 2025’s level. Seasonal adjustment (SA) at this point in the annual order cycle provides little adjustment to the monthly tally, dropping the volume incrementally to 18,700 units. Final March trailer industry data will be available later this month. This preliminary order estimate is typically within ±5% of the final order tally.
“A sequential drop in net orders is typically expected, as March traditionally ushers in the weakest months of the annual order cycle,” said Jennifer McNealy, director CV market research & publications at ACT Research. “That said, this year’s cycle seems to have been delayed a few months, as the order upticks that should have started in September or October of last year didn’t actually happen until December. Regardless the timing, we have entered the period of the year in which trailer makers typically receive fewer orders and start to work down the backlog that grew during peak season.”
“Given accelerating freight rates and rising carrier confidence, we now question whether more high-side surprising order intake months will happen, or whether traditional Q2 order weakness will prevail as fleet decision-makers continue to hesitate about placing trailer orders while accelerating Class 8 tractor purchases instead in 2026,” McNealy said. “Additionally, concern is mounting about how quickly trailer OEMs will build down the still-thin backlog, particularly given concerns about the level of activity in the key freight-generating economic sectors that drive transportation demand and high petroleum prices that weigh on purchasing decisions for both consumers and fleets.”
Dana Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has been featured in multiple newspapers, books and magazines across the globe. She is currently based in the Atlanta, Georgia, area.
