91��Ƶ

“It is starting to pick up a little bit,” Western Trailer's Taylor said. (Western Trailers via Facebook)

[Stay on top of transportation news: .]

U.S. trailer orders hit their third consecutive month of year-over-year increases in July, .

Preliminary net data showed orders increased 18% to 8,700 units compared with the same time last year. But they also dropped 43% sequentially from June. The monthly results have been fairly mixed throughout the year. The seasonally adjusted result at this point in the annual order cycle resulted in a favorable boost to 13,200 units.

“Sequentially, lower July net order intake was expected, as it is one of the weaker order months of the annual cycle, especially given that June’s data surprised to the upside,” said Jennifer McNealy, director of commercial vehicle market research for ACT. “While orders, regardless of comparisons, support build rates in 2025, concern remains that moderating economic activity, ongoing weak for-hire carrier profitability, and ambiguous policy shifts remain as challenges to stronger demand.”

ACT also reaffirmed its expectations for subdued build and order intake levels during 2025. McNealy noted that the preliminary data showed cancel rates remained elevated, even though they weren’t as severe as the previous month.

“It is starting to pick up a little bit,” said Dan Taylor, director of sales at Western Trailer. “I still think if we had better interest rates, it would be helpful. We’d put more people in the market. We’ve got to get past this match that we’re having between the president and the Fed Chairman [Jerome Powell], that is not good.”

Image

(ACT Research)

Taylor is optimistic the industry has started to turn a corner despite conditions remaining tough. He pointed to increases in quote activity as a potential positive sign. But he also warned there are still headwinds like the pressures companies are facing due to the renegotiation of tariff agreements, which has made forecasting pricing and business needs more difficult.

“I’m good through the end of the year, but if we get into January where we’re starting to want to place orders, it’s hard for me to tell you,” Taylor said. “I can give you a surcharge number of where I sit right now, but I can’t come to you and say, your trailer is going to cost you X, and I can stick to that. And people have been so used to that for so long, where we have such stability for such a long time, it’s hard for them to wrap their head around that. Then, also, the interest rate thing.”

Taylor expects activity to increase quickly once companies become confident enough to start investing back into their equipment, and production ramps up. But for now, he has seen many customers simply wait and push their existing equipment to operate longer.

“If you’re not making much money, it’s not worth buying a trailer right at this point in time,” Taylor said. “So it’s a minimalistic approach, I think, with all of them. And for us, if it’s in stock, we sell it.”

FTR Transportation Intelligence preliminary data found trailer orders increased 23% year over year to 7,794 units. But they also suffered a 39% month-over-month drop as tariff pressures and freight market uncertainty erased the previous dry van-driven rebound. The report also credited the year-over-year increase to weak comparisons. Year-to-date orders increased 31% to 102,991.

“The U.S. trailer market is now under mounting pressure as tariff exposure broadens,” said Dan Moyer, senior analyst of commercial vehicles at FTR. “Higher tariff rates for most major U.S. trading partners kicked in Aug. 7. Potentially more directly significant for the trailer sector is an expansion of the 50% steel and aluminum tariffs as of Aug. 18 that apparently affects not only imported key components but also the steel and aluminum content of fully assembled imported trailers. The escalating tariff impact could affect the trailer market in both supply and demand.”

Moyer added that trailer manufacturers and suppliers must either absorb margin losses or raise prices. This could potentially accelerate industry consolidation and favor larger and vertically integrated players. He also pointed out that many fleets are extending replacement cycles and leaning more heavily on used trailers, which has dampened demand for new builds.

“The market is shifting toward heightened price sensitivity and cautious capital spending with some supply chains likely considering domestic reorientation,” Moyer said. “But at structurally higher cost levels. Policy uncertainty is compounding volatility, making long-term planning increasingly difficult.”