COLUMBUS, Ind. — While improved spot and contract rates have been the primary drivers of higher Class 8 orders, regulatory burdens, associated with higher equipment costs in 2027, have helped spur greater order activity, as published in the latest release of the North American Commercial Vehicle OUTLOOK.
“The strength exhibited in the Class 8 market comes from a combination of two exogenous factors that are bolstering the critical HD vehicle demand driver, freight rates, supporting ACT’s ‘truckers buy trucks to make money’ adage,” said Ken Vieth, ACT Research president, senior analyst. “At the end of September 2025, the FMCSA initiated a tightening of the rules around the issuance of non-domiciled CDLs to immigrants. With the tighter rules not going into effect until March, ACT’s For-Hire Survey is very bullish, suggesting drivers have been exiting the market at an accelerating rate since the start of the year.”
Clarity Over low-NOx Rule
“In mid-November, the ATA indicated the EPA would keep the technology portion of the Agency’s Clean Truck low-NOx rule scheduled for January 2027,” Vieth said. “Clarity around the rule has been a trigger for the urgency of demand, especially when compared to ongoing weak trailer market activity.”
According to Vieth, with the four biggest technology companies in the US set to deploy $650 billion in capital toward data centers and associated AI buildout needs in 2026, the vocational market appears poised to continue benefitting from strong secular tailwinds that show little sign of slowing in the short term.
“Additionally, after pulling back on expected pre-buying in 2025 due to regulatory and trade uncertainty, vocational orders, like tractor, are benefitting from EPA’27 clarity,” Vieth said.
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.
