Noi Mahoney
Friday, April 3, 2026
Fleet buying stays hot as Class 8 recovery gains momentum
Strong freight fundamentals, tighter capacity and replacement demand are driving a rebound in heavy-duty truck orders.
Strong freight fundamentals, tighter capacity and replacement demand are driving a rebound in heavy-duty truck orders.
Orders for new Class 8 trucks rose significantly in May, according to two research firms.
FTR Transportation Intelligence expects a competitive truck market and port activity shift to put pressure on rail intermodal in 2023.
Preliminary Class 8 truck orders posted their third-highest number in history in November, continuing a stunning comeback from pandemic-depressed bookings earlier in the year.