April trailer orders are projected to decline as much as 20% compared to the previous month, following seasonal ordering patterns, according to a preliminary report from FTR Intelligence.
Trailer orders topped 30,000 in March, besting an earlier estimate of 29,500 orders, showing that fleets are still investing in new equipment, according to ACT Research.
Early reports from FTR on trailer order activity for March show that while orders declined by 16% from the month before, they remain historically strong.
Trailer orders are expected to hit 32,000 units in February, a number that, if it holds true, would be a record for that month, according to preliminary reports from FTR.
FTR has increased its Class 8 and trailer order forecasts as a result of increased demand for equipment caused by what the research firm calls a "capacity crisis."
The final numbers for January trailer orders have come in, showing a strong start to 2018 for the trailer industry as fleets try to meet increased freight demand, according to ACT Research.
Trailer orders in January will likely breach 39,000 units once the final numbers are tallied, indicating a strong start to 2018.
Trailer orders in the U.S. are expected to hit an all-time high of 47,000 units for December 2017, pushed by tightening capacity that FTR attributes to the ELD mandate.