Preliminary NA Class 5 through Class 7 net orders in April fell to 7,600 units, down 69% compared to year-ago April and 50% below the March order intake, according to ACT Research.

Complete industry data for April, including final order numbers, will be published by ACT Research in mid-May.

ACT’s State of the Industry: Classes 5-8 Vehicles report provides a monthly look at the current production, sales, and general state of the on-road heavy and medium duty commercial vehicle markets in North America. It differentiates market indicators by Class 5, Classes 6-7 chassis, and Class 8 trucks and tractors, detailing activity-related measures such as backlog, build, inventory, new orders, cancellations, net orders, and retail sales.

“Owing to its broader base of applications and vocational niches, medium-duty demand held up relatively well on an absolute basis in April when compared to their bigger [Class 8] brethren,” said Steve Tam, ACT’s Vice President. He continued, “That said, medium-duty net orders continued to slide during the month, falling to their lowest since April 2010.” Tam also mentioned, “The month of April is modestly stronger than average, so seasonal adjustment pulled orders lower.”

ACT’s 63rd seminar is scheduled for August 11-13, 2020. Focused on the road to recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, the event will feature dealer, alternative power, and economic panels, as well as discussions on near-term demand of North American commercial vehicle markets and the pending impact of alternative power on the market in the near future. Both in-person and livestream options are available for those who wish to participate.