November trailer orders in the U.S. hit 39,356, the second-highest month ever behind October of this year, according to a report from FTR. Last week, ACT Research released a similar report, noting that the past three months of 2014 have all seen record growth.
The growth in trailer orders in the last quarter of 2014 can be partially attributed to fleets planning ahead for 2015 when production slots are expected to be scarce. In the past 12 months, there have been a total of 342,000 trailer orders.
“The trailer market is showing continued power and this momentum is now expected to flow into the second half of 2015,” said Don Ake, vice president of commercial vehicles at FTR. “Backlogs are now tremendously high, so build rates are going to remain robust for several quarters.”
The environment for fleets is positive right now with plenty of freight, tight capacities, lower diesel prices and increased profits all driving orders, Ake added. All trailer segments remain strong, especially for flatbeds which saw an all-time record for orders in November.
