In the face of a sluggish economy and in what is typically the weakest new order period of the year, commercial vehicle order activity strengthened in September.


Class 8 net orders rose to 23,600 units, a gain of 55% year-over-year and 12% month over month. Classes 5-7 orders rose 8% month over month. This updated status of the North America commercial vehicle market was included in the State of the Industry report, recently released by ACT Research Co. (ACT). The report covers Class 5 through 8 vehicles for the North American market.

"Given the steady drumbeat of bad economic news in July and August, and the retrenchment of consumer confidence, we would have understood if commercial vehicle order activity waned through the balance of Q3, but it didn't," said Kenny Vieth, president and senior analyst at ACT. "Class 8 build so far this year stands at more than 180,000 units. Years of deferred purchases are buoying up demand."

For more information on ACT, please visit www.actresearch.net.