Class 8 truck orders soar 241% as fleets race to secure 2026 build slots 

“With order activity remaining elevated, the industry is entering a new phase—one where production capacity, regulatory policy, and execution become more important than demand itself,” FTR Senior Analyst Dan Moyer said in a blog post.

2026 build slots nearly exhausted

FTR said year-to-date Class 8 orders are running 125% ahead of last year, while cumulative orders for the current ordering season—from September 2025 through June 2026—are up 36% compared to the previous season. 

At the current pace, the remaining 2026 production slots could be fully committed during July, if they haven’t already. Over the past 12 months, Class 8 orders have totaled 334,160 units, according to the firm.

Several factors continue supporting demand, including healthy replacement cycles, strengthening freight rates, improving carrier utilization and limited remaining production capacity. Some fleets also continue placing orders ahead of the EPA’s tougher 2027 nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions standards.

Used truck sales show mixed results

ACT Research reported that the used Class 8 market showed mixed results in May. 

Same-dealer used Class 8 retail sales declined 13% from April, a steeper drop than the typical seasonal slowdown, while the average retail sale price slipped 0.7% month over month to $59,422. 

However, the market remained stronger than a year earlier, with used truck sales up 11% year over year and average prices increasing 5.2%. 

ACT Vice President Steve Tam said the data suggests that while some trucking companies are exiting the industry, “there appears to be a steady stream of those willing to throw their hats into the ring,” helping support used truck demand even as new Class 8 orders continue to climb.

Attention shifts toward EPA rules, USMCA uncertainty

As 2026 production capacity tightens, manufacturers and fleets are increasingly focused on how the Environmental Protection Agency’s revised 2027 heavy-duty emissions regulations will be implemented.

Moyer said the possibility that orders are already spilling into first-quarter 2027 production raises the importance of the EPA’s forthcoming revisions. The agency is expected to retain the 2027 implementation date and emissions limits while easing some warranty, useful-life and emissions credit provisions.

FTR said trade policy remains another variable for the North American truck market.

Although the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement currently continues to limit the impact of Section 232 tariffs on trucks and parts, the agreement now allows any of the three member countries to begin the withdrawal process with six months’ notice. 

Prolonged uncertainty or future changes could increase manufacturing costs across North America’s truck supply chain, Moyer said.

“The bigger question now is not demand but how much of the 2026 backlog converts to production before uncertainty over EPA, tariffs, and USMCA reshapes fleet timing for 2027,” Moyer said.