Class 8 Truck Orders

Preliminary North American Class 8 Net Orders Total 12,000 Units in May

North American (N.A.) Class 8 net orders in May rose 40% month-over-month (m/m) from April’s very low level but were down 47% year-over-year (y/y) at 12,000 units. Orders were well below the seven-year May average of 18,319 orders and represented the lowest May order total since 2020. Through May, orders for the last 12 months totaled 260,355 units.

The improvement versus April might result from lowering – at least temporarily – of tariffs on many countries versus the steep levels announced in early April, especially the lowering of tariffs on Chinese goods from 145% to 30%. Even with the m/m improvement, the y/y decline was steep. Also, net orders in 2025 were down 32% y/y through May, and retail truck sales in 2025 were down 11% y/y through April.

Dan Moyer, senior analyst, commercial vehicles, commented,“Tariff volatility and uncertainty over the economy and the truck freight market continue to disrupt the North American Class 8 truck and tractor market. Legal challenges surrounding emergency tariffs (reciprocal tariffs and those related to fentanyl) and the potential introduction of Section 232 tariffs on Classes 4-8 trucks and their components add further uncertainty to the market environment. Coupled with the anticipated revisions to the EPA 2027 NOx standards, these factors have led many fleets to postpone equipment investment decisions.”

Dan Moyer

Senior Analyst, Commercial Vehicles

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FTR tracks class 8 truck orders for the transportation industry and reports on preliminary order numbers on a monthly basis.

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Preliminary North American Class 8 Net Orders Total 12,000 Units in May

Dan Moyer