FTR: Class 8 orders rise again in April

Updated May 10, 2011

Rush Truck Center OdFTR Associates on May 6 released preliminary data showing April Class 8 truck total net orders for all major North American OEMs at 37,922, a 32 percent increase over March, continuing the trend of significant month-over-month increases.

March orders were 20 percent above February, with the annualized rate for the past three months at 362,700 units. The figure includes the United States, Canada, Mexico and exports.

Eric Starks, FTR president, said the preliminary numbers reflect strong demand from fleets for new units. “The issue we are wrestling with as we forecast build numbers for this year is whether OEs and their component suppliers can ramp up quickly enough to produce units concurrent with incoming orders,” he said. “There are already some shortages in the supply chain.”