FTR Associates on Thursday, Aug. 2, released preliminary data showing July Class 8 truck net orders at 12,568 units, the lowest month for orders since August 2010 and 32 percent below the same month last year. Preliminary order numbers are for all major North American OEMs.
FTR said July orders came in 23 percent below weak June activity and continue to reflect soft demand for Class 8 vehicles. For the three-month period including July, orders now annualize to 186,300 units.
“While orders came in below expectations, they didn’t really surprise us,” said Eric Starks, FTR president. “We have been forecasting slower sales of Class 8 vehicles in the second half of 2012 for some time, and the reported order numbers for July support our current outlook for the remainder of the year.”
