ACT Research: October Trailer Orders Third Highest in History
According to ACT Research, preliminary trailer data for October shows a total of 54,200 orders, up 6% from September and more than 68% higher than October 2019.

Source: ACT Research
According to ACT Research, preliminary trailer data for October shows a total of 54,200 orders, up 6% from September and more than 68% higher than October 2019.
“September’s rank as third-best month in industry history was short-lived, as October activity now takes that title,” said Frank Maly, director commercial vehicle transportation analysis and research at ACT.
Before accounting for cancellations, new orders actually reached more than 56,000, with both new and net orders ranking as the third-best in industry history.
With fleet commitments from the past two months pushing the industry backlog to its highest level since June 2019, increases in freight volumes and rates, as well as capacity challenges, have persuaded fleets to buy more trailers, according to Maly.
“Current production rates would result in industry backlogs extending into next July. Expect OEMs to adjust build rates upward to take advantage of this positive shift in fleet investment,” he added.
More Equipment

ZF Expands Commercial Vehicle Push in North America
ZF is expanding its North American commercial-vehicle presence with new transmission applications, electrification, trailer technology and autonomous-driving systems.
Read More →
Tesla Wants a Self-Driving Semi. Are Cameras Enough?
Could Tesla’s camera-only autonomous driving technology work on an 80,000-pound Semi? In this commentary, HDT's Deborah Lockridge takes a look at Tesla, Cybercab, and how autonomous trucks see the road.
Read More →
Kodiak: Driverless Long-Haul Truck Launch on Track for 2026
Kodiak AI says its driverless long-haul safety case is 93% complete and it remains on track to begin commercial operations by year-end 2026.
Read More →
What DOT’s Automated Vehicle Strategy Means for Trucking
The U.S. Department of Transportation issued a new automated-vehicle strategy that outlines plans for driverless-truck regulations, cross-state freight corridors, and federal safety standards.
Read More →
East Coast Port Launches $45M Electric Truck Push
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey announced millions in incentives for zero-emission drayage trucks, yard tractors, and new charging hubs near the port.
Read More →
PlusAI Going Public to Fund Autonomous Truck Launch
A SPAC deal could provide PlusAI with up to $300 million as it works toward a 2027 commercial launch of factory-built autonomous trucks.
Read More →
NHTSA Moves to Rewrite Truck Fuel-Economy Rules
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says it lacks authority to regulate medium- and heavy-duty truck engines separately from complete vehicles, but the existing standards have not yet been eliminated.
Read More →
Detroit Opens Orders for EPA 2027 Engines
Detroit isn’t starting from scratch to meet EPA 2027 diesel emissions standards. Its Gen 6 DD13 and DD15 engines keep much of today’s platform while updating the fuel and aftertreatment systems.
Read More →
Carrier Transicold Adds All-Electric TRU for Stationary Cold Storage
Carrier Transicold’s new Vector 8200 all-electric transport refrigeration unit gives fleets a diesel-free option for temporary refrigerated and frozen trailer storage.
Read More →A Closer Look at Kenworth’s Electric T880E Vocational Truck [Video]
Learn more about Kenworth's T880E battery-electric vocational truck at the Paccar Technical Center, including its range, applications, upfitting considerations, and PTO options, in this HDT Spotlight video.
Read More →
