Trailer orders hit a near four-year high in September while Class 8 orders stay mixed

Fleets are ordering trailers again. FTR Transportation Intelligence reported that U.S. net trailer orders reached 43,059 units in September, the highest monthly total since December 2022, according to a FreightWaves report on Oct. 22. That is up 78% from August and 385% from a year earlier. ACT Research counted 42,700 trailer orders for the month, up 311% year over year, the same report said.

The year-over-year jump flatters the picture. FTR told The Trucker on Oct. 21 that weak comparisons from last year inflate the percentage. It also said solid orders in August and September point to a large backlog of deferred replacement demand, with limited fleet expansion possible.

Tractors tell a different story

Class 8 truck orders were mixed. FTR's preliminary count for September was 21,300 units, up 18% from August and 3% from a year earlier, per FreightWaves. ACT Research's final count was 19,172 units, down 7% from a year earlier and down 15% from August on a seasonally adjusted basis. The two firms measure the market differently, so the gap is not unusual, but it means the tractor side has not turned as clearly as trailers.

ACT also reported that medium-duty orders (Classes 5 to 7) reached 20,297 units, up 27% from a year earlier, and linked part of that to dealers stocking up ahead of expected 2027 regulatory changes and higher prices.

What it means for carriers

Dan Moyer, an FTR senior analyst, said rising quote activity and more requests for proposals show fleets are becoming more active in equipment. Carriers that have run old trailers through a long freight recession are now back in the market, and they will be competing for build slots if the pace holds.

Moyer also cautioned that September's pace may not be sustained, and named high equipment costs, trade uncertainty, supply chain constraints and competing capital needs as risks, according to The Trucker.

What shippers and brokers should watch

Orders are not deliveries. New trailers add little capacity until they are built and on the road, and a fleet that buys trailers still needs drivers and tractors to pull them. Pool and drop-trailer programs are the likeliest early beneficiaries. Watch FTR and ACT's October order numbers next month. A second strong month would suggest carriers are betting on a firmer market in 2027, which would be a cue for shippers to expect less slack in contract talks.