FTR Reports Decline in Preliminary Net Orders for February

FTR Associates released preliminary data showing February Class 8 truck total net orders for all major North American OEM’s at 23,998, a 12 percent decline from January’s strong level of net orders. Class 8 orders continue the positive prior-year comparisons, with February 2011 preliminary orders up 210 percent from February 2010. The figure includes U.S., Canada, Mexico and Exports.

“FTR has had a very cautious outlook to this point given the unusually high levels of uncertainty in the economy,” says Eric Starks, FTR president. “Although February orders showed a decline from January, we have become more comfortable with the durability of the economic recovery in general and the outlook for heavy-duty trucks in particular. The continuing strong outlook for the industrial sector that provides a disproportionate amount of truck freight demand is a very good sign. As a result, we have recently increased our 2011 projection for Class 8 truck sales by 10 percent.”

Final data for February will be available from FTR later this month as part of its North American Commercial Truck & Trailer Outlook service.