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North American Class 8 truck orders jumped year over year in February, with ACT Research preliminary data showing orders rose 156% to 46,200 units.

Kenworth introduced the C580 heavy-haul truck to replace the C500, pairing a proven severe-duty chassis with a new cab. The Paccar unit has set production to begin in January 2027.

The Institute for Supply Management’s gauge of prices paid for manufacturing inputs jumped 11.5 points to 70.5, the highest level since overall inflation peaked nearly four years ago.

The threat of rising truck prices earned a reprieve after the Supreme Court struck down key tariffs under the Trump administration, but uncertainty remains for manufacturers and buyers alike.

President Trump introduced 25% tariffs on U.S. imports of medium- and heavy-duty trucks and parts on Nov. 1 as he seeks to reorient trade flows, although the full details are yet to emerge.

The company has so little cash that it has been operating on a week-to-week basis with help from automakers willing to pay in advance to keep vital parts flowing.

The official rule repeals, which have been telegraphed for months, lay the groundwork for unwinding more federal climate regulations, experts say.

ACT Research preliminary data showed orders increased 20% year over year to 30,800 units. But the data also showed orders fell 27.8% sequentially from 42,684 units.

Demand for trucks did not improve as 2025 progressed and what carrier executives have characterized as the longest North American freight market downturn in a half-century continued.

Yet the truck manufacturer is increasingly optimistic about the prospects for demand growth as 2026 progresses, lifting its full-year industrywide sales expectations by 15,000 trucks or 6%.