COLUMBUS, Ind. — According to this month’s issue of ACT Research’s State of the Industry: U.S. Trailers report, with equipment order intake improving, freight rates increasing, policy impacts becoming clearer and despite concerns remaining, optimism is on the rise.
“Again, counter to cyclical expectations, net order intake in May increased from April, albeit by just 7.6%, logging 20.9k orders placed this month, and although it may seem like it’s been a while, one only needs to go back to this past January to find another 20k+ net order intake,” said Jennifer McNealy, director–CV market research & publications, ACT. “Compared to May 2025, net orders vaulted more than 240% over the lackluster intake of 6.1k last year. May’s cancellation rate of 1.9%, as a percentage of backlog, remained in ‘elevated’ territory, inching a tad higher from the 1.4% rate recorded in April. Like last month, high cancellations were reported in most segments, meaning the situation was broad-based.”
According to McNealy, net orders have now outpaced build for four of the five months in 2026.
“In May, about 4.1k more trailers were ordered than built, growing the backlog by more than 5% m/m,” McNealy said. “However, this was not enough to pump much lifeblood into the anemic backlogs. It appears the end of the road is in sight, but there is a little more traveling to do before the industry is again standing in the sunlight of healthier times.”
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.
