Citing a brutal October and November, ACT Research warns that 2020 will be much tougher for both medium- and heavy-duty truck sales.
The new year will be a tough one for the trucking industry, according to Steve Tam, vice president of research for ACT Research.
ACT Research said North American used truck sales volumes fell 35% in November.
Although a recession is unlikely next year, ACT Research said uncertainty regarding the economy in the latter half of 2019 will detrimentally affect medium- and heavy-duty truck markets next year.
FTR and ACT Research report that preliminary trailer orders fell significantly in November as fleets become more cautious about freight conditions in 2020.
FTR’s Trucking Conditions Index slipped into negative territory again for September when it hit its lowest point since May, reflecting a relatively weak environment for carriers.
Freight transportation analysis firm FTR is reporting that the truck freight environment was mediocre in August and was likely to stay that way through 2020.
August data from ACT Research's For-Hire Trucking Index show a pull back from July’s surprising and anomalous surge and a forecast for continued negative conditions until 2020.
FTR’s revised Trucking Conditions Index showed significant improvement for the month of June thanks to strengthening freight demand and lower fuel prices, but other factors are likely to keep things subdued through the rest of the year.
