Class 8 tractor demand remains strong in December

Following November’s strong showing of 37,200 units, final North American Class 8 net orders reached 36,800 units in December, buoyed by continued strong demand for tractors, according to the latest State of the Industry: NA Classes 5-8 report by ACT Research. The report provides a monthly look at the current production, sales and general state of the heavy- and medium-duty commercial vehicle markets in North America.

“Despite generationally weak profits in for-hire, large fleets still need to replenish existing/aging equipment,” noted Kenny Vieth, ACT’s president and senior analyst. With the assumption that EPA’s Clean Truck regulation will go ahead as scheduled at the start of 2027, he said private fleets that have the budget to do so “are likely continuing to focus on fleet age ahead of the large price increase expected for tractors.”

Vocational truck orders totaled 8,100 units for the month. Even given that additional production capacity that came online in late 2024 likely satiated some demand, and higher interest rates in 2025 could cool demand slightly, Vieth  said ACT Research remains “firm in its belief that 2025 will be the best year for vocational truck demand since 2006.”

Total orders for Classes 5-7 trucks, on the other hand, dropped 40% year-over-year to 16,800 units in December. “Orders slowed in the last quarter of 2024, as near record-high inventories and a stagnant sales trend weigh on medium-duty truck demand levels,” Vieth stated.