COLUMBUS, Ind. — Preliminary net trailer orders in July were 15,900 units, up about 2,400 units from June, an 18% month-to-month increase, and nearly 8,100 units higher than July 2025.
“After one month of seasonally-expected slowing, July net orders returned to the historically-counter pattern witnessed earlier this spring,” said Jennifer McNealy, director CV market research & publications at ACT Research. “Typically, July is the weakest net order month of the annual ordering cycle, as fleets have made their decisions for current-year needs and OEMs start to build down the backlog. That said, this year’s cycle has been anything but ordinary: the order strength that should have started in September or October of last year didn’t actually begin until December. The atypical strength in orders continues to reflect improving trucking fundamentals, buttressed by rising freight rates.”
Cautious Optimism
While appearing meteoric, it’s important to remember that the 97% y/y gain is against 2025’s very tepid environment. Seasonal adjustment (SA) at this point in the annual order cycle takes the month’s volume to 26,500 units. Final July trailer industry data will be available later this month. This preliminary order estimate is typically within ±5% of the final order tally.
“Regardless of the timing, the increased order activity is certainly welcome, but premature in terms of 2027 order timing and the opening by OEMs of next year’s calendars,” McNealy said. “Additionally, caution remains a strategy for some trailer purchasers. Rates are rising now, but the past few years have been hard for carriers, and now the challenges of strong pent-up demand and the risks of higher maintenance costs and downtime to repair rather than purchase new equipment remain as counter-weights to their decision-making process. In a recent monthly survey, OEMs shared with ACT Research that the uptick in order activity seems to be a three-fold event: customers ordering ahead of tariff-related price increases, healthier long-term business conditions, and pent-up replacement demand.”
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.
