FTR Reports U.S. Trailer Net Orders Fell in March to 12,313 Units
Bloomington, IN – (Trailer Technician) – FTR reports that March trailer orders fell 7,659 from February (-38% m/m) to a total of 12,313 units. Orders were down 18% y/y and 25% below the average for the last 12 months.
Trailer production increased by less than 1% m/m in March to 23,505 units. Production was down 21% y/y. This build number is in line with the average production level seen over the past three years.
Eric Starks, FTR’s chairman of the board, commented, “With orders coming in below production levels, backlogs in February fell somewhat, shedding more than 11,500 units to end at more than 151,000 units. The increase in production coupled with the fall in backlogs resulted in some reduction in the backlog-to-build ratio, which stands at 6.4 months. This ratio is slightly below the average level for the last half of 2023 but is above the historical average prior to 2020. The current ratio suggests that, overall, trailer manufacturers have little incentive to alter production levels in the near term.”
U.S. Trailer OEM Monthly Market Indicators Data Enhancement
Separately, FTR announced that it has enhanced its month trailer indicators dataset. FTR’s data now includes data on trailer gross orders and cancellations. FTR will continue to report net orders based on data submitted by OEMS and estimated orders for non-reporting OEMs. The enhancements also cover how FTR handles data on backlogs and inventories.
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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