11/18/2010
Heavy-Duty Vehicle Orders Reach Highest Level This Year
The Class 8 net orders were the second highest monthly total since April 2008.
October net orders of heavy-duty Class 8 commercial vehicles for North
American markets were 18,914 units, up 24 percent from September,
according to ACT Research Co. Medium-duty Classes 5-7 net orders also
gained sequentially, posting 19 percent month-over-month growth.
The Class 8 net orders were the second highest monthly total since
April 2008. Only a brief one-month surge in October 2009 produced
greater net orders, as some carriers sought to get the last of lower
priced engines in advance of an EPA emission mandate that raised the
price of new heavy-duty vehicles by about $10,000, according to ACT.
“While September gave a hint to increasing demand for Class 8
equipment, October orders provided the strongest sign yet that the
transportation sector recognizes the need to replace aging equipment,”
said ACT Research President and Senior Analyst Kenny Veith.