FTR Reports U.S. Trailer Net Orders in December Rose More than 2,000 Units to 23,434
Bloomington, IN – (Trailer Technician) – FTR reports December U.S. trailer net orders rose 10% over November to 23,434 units and were 16% above the monthly average for 2023. Order activity in December 2023 was 59% below December 2022. The number of trailers ordered over the last 12 months decreased to just above 243,000 units.
Trailer production slowed by 15% month over month in December to 20,153 units. Production was similarly down 15% year over year. The build number was the lowest since the beginning of 2021, but a drop in production after November is normal. Average monthly build is still healthy at more than 26,600 units.
Eric Starks, FTR’s chairman of the board, commented, “With orders coming in above production levels, backlogs in December rose somewhat, increasing by more than 3,000 units to more than 143,300 units in total. The fall in production and increase in backlogs resulted in an increase for the backlog-to-build ratio to 7.1 months. The ratio is slightly elevated due to the lower production levels in December and is above the historical average before 2020. A jump in the ratio is normal around the holidays, and the overall picture is still of an industry that is continuing its move towards a pre-pandemic level of stability.”
About FTR
For more than 30 years, FTR has served as the industry leader in freight transportation forecasting for the shipping, trucking, rail, intermodal, equipment, and financial communities in North America. FTR’s experts, with over 250 years of combined experience in the transportation industry, provide quantitative analysis with historical and modal-specific insights. FTR’s reports, data, commentary, and insights help clients evaluate market risks, identify new opportunities, and make informed decisions.
FTR is the only company with a complete set of freight data for all modes of transportation with detail at the 3 Digit STCC commodity level. FTR tracks and forecasts 200+ unique commodity groups both quarterly and annually using their proprietary Freight•cast U.S. freight transportation model. FTR’s Transportation Conference held annually in September in Indianapolis is a unique event bringing together every aspect of the freight transportation world into one place. For more information www.FTRconference.com
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