Class 8 Truck Orders Jump 201% in April

The Mack Trucks Lehigh Valley Operations facility in Macungie, Pa. (Ryan Collerd/Bloomberg)

North American Class 8 truck orders posted a third consecutive month of triple-digit percentage increases in April.

ACT Research preliminary data showed orders surged 201% from the prior year to 24,800 units. This also represented the fifth consecutive month that beat the previous year. The results marked a 34.8% sequential decrease from 38,050 units the previous month.

“With April signifying the beginning of weak order seasonality until 2027 order boards open in September, it’s little surprise that preliminary April Class 8 order activity fell from March,” said Carter Vieth, research analyst at ACT Research. “Seasonally adjusted, Class 8 orders declined 24% [month to month].”

FTR Transportation Intelligence reported similar results, with current data showing that Class 8 preliminary net orders jumped 199% year over year to 25,500 units in April. The report also showed a 34% decrease from the previous month. But FTR noted that this largely reflected normal seasonality and recent elevated results, not a loss of momentum.

“The abrupt shift in demand in recent months has brought some risks as we have noted previously,” said Dan Moyer, senior analyst of commercial vehicles at FTR. “One risk is that fleets will act out of ‘fear of missing out,’ or FOMO, to order earlier or in larger quantities than needed to avoid being shut out of 2026 production, thus raising cancellation risks.”

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Moyer still believes the risk is limited unless the freight recovery stalls. The more notable risk he sees from elevated orders involves build execution. He noted that truck manufacturers and suppliers must now ramp production from a low first-quarter base without creating problems with labor, supply chains or inventories. But he also warned that other risks remain, including uncertainties over regulatory policy, financing costs and geopolitical developments.

“April orders moderated from a strong March, though year-over-year growth continued,” said Jonathan Randall, president of Mack Trucks North America. “Pre-buy activity is picking up as fleets weigh purchasing strategy against expectations of more expensive vehicles in 2027.”

Randall added that improving freight rates, tightening capacity and recovering freight demand continue to support order strength. He pointed out that inflationary pressures tied to the Iran war are headwinds worth watching, though he has not seen fuel prices shifting fleet decisions.

“Industry orders were moderate month over month as fleets continue to be disciplined,” said Justina Morosin, senior vice president of sales and field operations at International. “We are seeing customers place orders more intentionally, prioritizing timing and specifications rather than overall volume.”

Morosin added that prior-year and sequential comparisons are less meaningful given developments since then. She noted the latest numbers also are being compared with a weak April 2025. She pointed to the impact of tariffs and uncertainty around emissions rules pursued by the Environmental Protection Agency. She said the factors have distorted seasonal order patterns and underlying demand.

“Typically, April marks the start of the weak order season until next year’s order board opens in the fall,” Morosin said. “However, this year, even after adjusting for seasonality, April orders remain strong, reflecting deferred replacement demand and some EPA 2027-related pull-ahead activity.”

Morosin added that overall freight fundamentals continue to improve, but that capital expenditure remains cautious as carrier margins remain under pressure. She noted, however, that margins are expected to recover with improving rates.

“Order activity is starting to pick up,” said John O’Leary, president of Daimler Truck North America. “In the first quarter, we saw orders in North America rise 86% year over year, which tells us the market is beginning to move in a more favorable direction.”

O’Leary has seen tightening capacity, a healthier spot market, early momentum in contract rates and pockets of industrial growth. These trends, he noted, have started to set the stage for a recovery. But he also noted that the focus has remained on supporting customers as some headwinds have persisted, such as the broader macroeconomic conditions. 

“Class 8 orders in the U.S. and Canada totaled 22,873 units for April, which is significantly higher compared to the same period last year,” said Magnus Koeck, vice president of strategy, marketing and brand management at Volvo Trucks North America. “However, the April orders were down significantly from the prior four months.”

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Koeck added the decline wasn’t unexpected given historically strong order numbers since December. He noted that many fleets delayed their normal purchasing cycles and are now beginning to place orders again as freight rates improve. He also suspects there might be some pre-buy activity ahead of upcoming regulatory changes, and that dealers are placing stock orders for build slots later in the third and fourth quarters.

“At the same time, carriers are still facing pressure from high operating costs, regulatory constraints and ongoing profitability challenges,” Koeck said. “Fuel efficiency is becoming even more critical for customers in this environment. Our all-new Volvo VNL can deliver fuel savings up to 10%, creating a meaningful impact on operating costs.”