ACT Research says its Class 8 order data suggests optimism is growing for 2026.
"In our view, the rise in spot freight rates has given deep-pocketed, large fleets confidence that 2026 will be an improvement from the past three years spent in the trough and is arguably the most important factor driving improved Class 8 order activity," says Ken Vieth, ACT's president and senior analyst. "Class 8 orders totaled 30,800 units in January, up 20% year over year, and preliminary February orders totaled 46,200 units, jumping 156% year over year."
Vieth attributed the increased orders, in part, to more certainty regarding the EPA's low-NOx regulations.
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"With the four biggest technology companies in the U.S. set to deploy $650 billion in capital toward data centers and associated AI buildout needs in 2026, the vocational market appears poised to continue benefitting from strong secular tailwinds that show little sign of slowing in the short term," Vieth says. "Additionally, after pulling back on expected prebuying in 2025 due to regulatory and trade uncertainty, vocational orders, like tractor, are benefitting from EPA '27 clarity."
