Class 8 truck orders improved substantially year-over-year in December, according to the latest figures from ACT Research and FTR Intel.
ACT reported truck OEMs secured orders for 36,500 units in December a 39% year-over-year increase, which was down only 2.1% month-over-month.
“Strength continues to be the applicable descriptor of Class 8 order activity as the industry looks to 2025,” Kenny Vieth, ACT president and senior analyst, said in a news release. “In December, Class 8 orders were in line, slipping 2.1% m/m to 36,500 units. While down from November, orders were up nearly 39% compared to last December’s performance. With the largest seasonal factor of the year, seasonal adjustment is always unkind in December.
“On a seasonally adjusted basis, Class 8 orders fell 15% from November to 29,700 units, and a 356,000 SAAR.”
FTR recorded 31,900 Class 8 orders in a 23% year-over-year increase and 7% month-over-month decline. The figure slightly outperformed seasonal expectations, surpassing the seven-year December average of 29,716 net orders. Despite a sluggish truck freight environment, the 2025 order season (September through December 2024) saw cumulative net orders up 6% y/y, signaling positive momentum entering 2025.
Full-year 2024 total Class 8 net orders were up 11% y/y, a performance slightly surpassing replacement demand levels at an average of 23,323 net orders per month. Class 8 orders for full-year 2024 totaled 279,872 units, FTR added.
“While OEMs experienced an overall month-over-month decline in order activity for December, most OEMs performed above seasonal expectations as net orders maintained relatively high levels for what is typically a softer order month,” said Dan Moyer, FTR senior analyst for commercial vehicles. “There also wasn’t any notable difference in vocational segment month-over-month order movement performance versus how on-highway performed this month.
“We continue to watch the ongoing discussions and developments related to President-elect Trump’s plans to impose immediate tariffs on imports from Mexico, Canada, and China as more than 40% of Class 8 trucks sold in the U.S. are built in Mexico. Tariffs could significantly disrupt supply chains and raise production costs, compounding disruptions already anticipated due to EPA 2027 NOx regulations.
“Fleets may adjust order and retail demand strategies in response.”