Class 8 orders post biggest gain of 7-month streak

Mack Trucks' plant in Macungie, Pa. "Order activity in June reflects the strength we’re seeing industrywide," says Mack Trucks North America's Jonathan Randall. (Mack Trucks)

North American Class 8 truck orders hit their largest year-over-year increase in seven months of consecutive gains.

ACT Research preliminary data showed orders increased 231% to 31,400 units for June. This marks the largest jump to date in 2026 and an 18% sequential improvement from 26,576. The report noted these results suggest either higher-than-expected industry builds into year-end, or orders increasingly spilling into the first half of 2027.

“Underpinning the seven-month run of strong Class 8 order activity has been the ongoing, supply-led and demand-supported recovery,” said Carter Vieth, research analyst at ACT Research. “Truckers only buy trucks when they make money. Underscoring the rapid change in carrier fortunes, freight rates continue to soar.”

The Environmental Protection Agency on July 9 proposed changes to its 2027 heavy-duty engine rule. The biggest shift would ease warranty requirements that truck and engine manufacturers have warned could raise costs and complicate the rollout of new diesel engines. The proposal would leave the underlying emissions standards in place while adjusting useful-life requirements and allowing nonconformance penalties for certain diesel engines that may not immediately meet the 2027 limits.

BREAKING: The Trump EPA is proposing to fix the last administration's unworkable truck rule — saving truckers $12B, up to $6,000 per new truck. Lower costs for truckers means lower prices for your family, and more consumer choice. https://t.co/jhpTVP1pmb — U.S. EPA (@EPA) July 9, 2026

“The possibility that orders are already spilling over into Q1 slots in 2027 raises the stakes on the details of changes to the EPA 2027 NOx revisions,” said Dan Moyer, senior analyst of commercial vehicles at FTR Transportation Intelligence.

FTR found that Class 8 preliminary net orders jumped 241% year over year to 30,500 units in June and showed a sequential increase of 16%. The results also were 68% above the 10-year average for the month, but the report indicates recent year-over-year increases are against weak comparisons.

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Moyer 

“With 2026 demand exceeding build slots, an increasingly important question is EPA’s enforcement posture in the early months of the regulation,” Moyer said. “Key questions on the score are whether the proposed changes include nonconformance penalties.”

Moyer also warned about policy uncertainty going forward due to the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement. The trade deal limits the effective impact of Section 232 truck and parts tariffs while it remains in place, but the U.S. decision not to renew the agreement in its current form has fostered uncertainty as negotiations resume.

Volvo Trucks North America tracked similar results, with its data showing orders increased 18.5% sequentially to 29,148 units across the U.S. and Canada.

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Koeck 

“The high order number is actually a little surprising knowing most OEMs pretty much are sold out for the year,” said Magnus Koeck, vice president of strategy, marketing and brand management at VTNA. “To me, this indicates one or more OEMs have opened their order books also for 2027.”

Koeck added that carriers are becoming more optimistic as rates improve. He also noted that freight volumes still need to increase further for fleets to see a meaningful improvement in profitability.

“Order activity in June reflects the strength we’re seeing industrywide, driven largely by pre-buy ahead of the 2027 EPA regulations, along with a solid vocational market and early signs of cyclical recovery in the highway segment,” said Jonathan Randall, president of Mack Trucks North America. “We’re encouraged by what this signals for the broader freight cycle heading into next year.”