Rather than plan around a national transition to zero-emission trucks, fleets are weighing total cost of ownership, operational feasibility and customer expectations.

“Market fundamentals are improving as capacity continues to tighten, driven by regulatory enforcement and carrier exits,” CEO Shawn Stewart said.

Daimler Truck Chief Financial Officer Eva Scherer confirmed to investors and analysts that DTNA would only sell 2027 EPA-compliant engines.

CEO John O’Leary told reporters the plant would be the company’s largest truck manufacturing facility in the United States when up and running.

Trucking companies serving the major ports across the country continued to see capacity tightening while also moving beyond difficult prior-year comparisons.

Class 8 truck orders rose sharply on a year-over-year basis in July, but full 2026 production backlogs and uncertainty over EPA rules cloud the outlook.

Schneider executives expect ongoing driver capacity reductions to further spur momentum through the second half of 2026.

Saia reported an OR of 86.9 in the second quarter of 2026, compared with 87.8 in the same period 12 months earlier. The firm's OR also improved sequentially.

Work has already begun on some of the reliability testing for third-generation hardware components, Aurora CEO Chris Urmson said during the Q2 earnings call.

It is the second time Daimler Truck or a predecessor has announced plans to close the Swan Island plant since acquiring Freightliner in 1981.