Behind the numbers: March Class 8 truck orders nothing to cheer about
The uptick in Class 8 truck orders seen in March do not indicate any significant strengthening in demand, according to data compiled by research firm FTR Associates, which indicates the rate of order activity reveals that truck OEMs face several more tough quarters ahead.
"From what we're seeing, I think we're getting closer to the bottom," Eric Starks, FTR's president, told FleetOwner. "But the level of orders tells me there's still a lot of uncertainty out there. That means it's still going to be pretty painful going in the second and third quarters."
FTR's preliminary data shows Class 8 total net orders for all major North American OEMs totaled 8,594 units in March this year – which includes orders for the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and for export. While that represented a 26% increase from February of this year, that performance was 44% below March 2008.
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