U.S. trailer orders reached 15,900 units in July, a 97% increase from the same month a year earlier and an 18% gain over June, according to preliminary data released by ACT Research on Aug. 18.
July typically ranks as the weakest month of the annual trailer ordering cycle. Fleets have generally settled their equipment decisions for the current year by midsummer, and original equipment manufacturers begin working down their backlogs.
Jennifer McNealy, director of commercial vehicle market research for ACT Research, said the current cycle has departed from the usual pattern. "Typically, July is the weakest net order month of the annual ordering cycle, as fleets have made their decisions for current-year needs and OEMs start to build down the backlog," she said. "That said, this year's cycle has been anything but ordinary."
McNealy said order strength that would normally have appeared in September or October of last year began in December. She linked the unusual timing to an improving freight market supported by rising rates. The year-over-year comparison also measures against soft results in July 2025, which amplifies the percentage gain.
Manufacturers surveyed by ACT Research pointed to three factors behind the uptick: customers ordering ahead of tariff-related price increases, healthier long-term business conditions, and pent-up replacement demand.
McNealy cautioned that the increase arrives early relative to 2027 order timing and the opening of next year's order calendars by manufacturers. She also noted that carriers have absorbed several difficult years, and that the option of repairing existing equipment rather than buying new remains a counterweight for some buyers.
Source: Transport Topics - https://www.ttnews.com/articles/trailer-orders-july-2026