According to this month’s issue of ACT Research’s State of the Industry: U.S. Trailers report, with the majority of 2025 in the rearview mirror, the US trailer market remains in “stay afloat” mode, as fleets continue their wait-and-see strategy.
“October’s trailer cancellation rate, as a percentage of backlog, was a more subdued 1.3% versus last month’s overstated 5.6%. Data continued to show elevated cancellations in reefer and tank segments,” said Jennifer McNealy, Director–CV Market Research & Publications at ACT Research. “The largest level of cancels came from the tank segments, attributed to a decline in oil/gas activity, in general.”
“With higher build rates, lower backlogs, and two more production days in October, the industry BL/BU ratio remained at 3.3 months for the second consecutive month,” McNealy continued. “October’s build rate and the current backlog commit the industry into mid-Q1’26. Overall, backlog remains at rock-bottom levels with the new year’s orderboards opening.”
State of the Industry: U.S. Trailers Report Overview
ACT Research’s State of the Industry: U.S. Trailers report provides a monthly review of the current US trailer market statistics, as well as trailer OEM build plans and market indicators divided by all major trailer types, including backlogs, build, inventory, new orders, cancellations, net orders, and factory shipments. It is accompanied by a database that gives historical information from 1996 to the present, as well as a ready-to-use graph packet, to allow organizations in the trailer production supply chain, and those following the investment value of trailers, trailer OEMs, and suppliers to better understand the market.
ACT Research Overview
ACT Research is recognized as the leading publisher of commercial vehicle truck, trailer, and bus industry data, market analysis, and forecasts for the North America and China markets. ACT’s analytical services are used by all major North American truck and trailer manufacturers and their suppliers, as well as banking and investment companies. ACT Research is a contributor to the Blue Chip Economic Indicators and a member of the Wall Street Journal Economic Forecast Panel. ACT Research executives have received peer recognition, including election to the Board of Directors of the National Association for Business Economics, appointment as Consulting Economist to the National Private Truck Council, and the Lawrence R. Klein Award for Blue Chip Economic Indicators’ Most Accurate Economic Forecast over a four-year period. ACT Research senior staff members have earned accolades including Chicago Federal Reserve Automotive Outlook Symposium Best Overall Forecast, Wall Street Journal Top Economic Outlook, and USA Today Top 10 Economic Forecasters. More information can be found at www.actresearch.net.
Additional Resources
Preliminary net trailer orders in October were 5,700 units higher than September’s 11,300 level, a 51% month-to-month increase. At 17,100 units booked in October, order intake was 3% above last October’s level. Seasonal adjustment (SA) at this point in the annual order cycle lowers the monthly tally to about 12,600 units. Final October results will be available later this month. This preliminary market estimate is typically within ±5% of the final order tally.
“Sequentially, October’s higher net order intake was expected, as it is usually one of the strongest order months in the annual cycle initiated at the end of Q3 when the industry begins opening next year’s orderboards,” said Jennifer McNealy, Director CV Market Research & Publications at ACT Research. “October’s tally brings the year-to-date net order total to 138.3k units, or 17% more net orders than were accepted through year-to-date October 2024.”
- Backlog-to-build ratio: 3.6 months
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