FTR Reports Final Net Trailer Orders for March 50% Above Last Year at 20,500 Units

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FTR reports final March net trailer orders at 20,500 units, down 20% m/m but up 50% versus a year ago.  The drop off from February for both dry and refrigerated vans is simply due to the start of a typical seasonal decline for trailer orders, and the strong year over year comparison reflecting a positive trailer order environment.  Softening backlogs are also consistent with normal market conditions; production for March was robust.  Trailer orders have now totaled 246,000 units for the last twelve months.   

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Click here to view the latest release and an interactive graph of the Trailer Orders >

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Don Ake, FTR Vice President of Commercial Vehicles, commented, “The trailer market had a great production month.  The OEMs finally started to increase build rates due to the strong orders of the past four months.  Builds jumped an impressive 9% on a per day level over February.  Production was basically equal to last March, which is a great sign moving into the seasonally strong second quarter.”

“The additional good news is the trailer vocational segments are showing some signs of life.  Flatbed production was up considerably, as were dump trailers.  The tanker segments are also moving in the right direction.  These vocational segments continue to track closely with Class 8 trucks, which are also on the upswing.  Fleets are growing much more optimistic about the business environment and they are buying more trailers again after a slump the second half of last year.” 

 To contact FTR, send an email to [email protected] or call (888) 988-1699 ext. 1 and follow us on Twitter @FTRintel.



About FTR
For more than two decades, FTR has been the thought leader in freight transportation forecasting in North America. The company’s national award-winning forecasters collect and analyze all data likely to impact freight movement, issuing consistently reliable reports for trucking, rail, and intermodal transportation, as well as providing demand analysis for commercial vehicle and railcar. FTR’s forecasting and specially designed reports have resulted in advanced planning and cost-savings for companies throughout the transportation sector.