Class 8 truck orders

Electric truck production cutting in line ahead of diesel orders

Class 8 truck orders finished 2021 with a backlog-to-build timing exceeding 12 months. But orders for electric trucks are being processed in a quarter of that time, according to manufacturers under pressure to meet state zero-emission mandates.

The number of electric orders is tiny — several dozen to a few hundred is a good estimate — compared with total Class 8 orders of 23,100 preliminary December orders projected by FTR Transportation Intelligence. FTR estimated 365,000 new trucks were booked...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/class-8-truck-orders-remain-under-pressure-entering-2022

Loaded and Rolling: Truck tech, component shortages, trucking bottlenecks

In today’s newsletter: Enterprise carriers race to innovate; Component shortage delays electric vehicles; ATRI top truck bottlenecks of 2021.

Enterprise carriers race to innovate by embracing new technologies and partnerships
(Photo: Jim Allen/FreightWaves)

Trucking companies are racing to catch up to the technological disruption brought by digital load boards and freight tech offerings. For large enterprise carriers, there is a sense of urgency, as digital trucking startups and brokerages...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/loaded-and-rolling-truck-tech-component-shortages-trucking-bottlenecks

Cummins playing supply chain whack-a-mole for everything but semiconductors

The semiconductor shortage is a structural weakness in supply chain management, Cummins Inc. CEO Tom Linebarger says. Everything else the leading engine manufacturer needs in the supply chain crisis is like playing whack-a-mole.

“We have a fair bit of demand for our products, and we’re out of everything,” Linebarger told FreightWaves in an interview Wednesday. “Chips are by far the biggest problem but everything else is also problematic. When you think you kind of have solved the crisis, then...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/cummins-playing-supply-chain-whack-a-mole-for-everything-but-semiconductors

Loaded and Rolling: Investment conference equipment highlights, Knight-Swift acquires MME, transportation unemployment falls

Stephens investment conference trucking equipment highlights
(Photo: Jim Allen/FreightWaves)

Supply chain challenges were the main focus at the Stephens annual investment conference earlier this month in Nashville, Tennessee. Executives said driver recruiting and broader supply chain bottlenecks were slightly easing, but purchasing and procuring equipment has gotten notably tougher. 

Lack of trailers becoming new driver shortage:

  • Derek Leathers, chairman, president and CEO of Werner, said...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/loaded-and-rolling-investment-conference-equipment-highlights-knight-swift-acquires-mme-transportation-unemployment-falls

Inability to produce pushes Class 8 orders to lowest November in 26 years

Class 8 truck orders in November were the lowest for that month in 26 years, reflecting a huge backlog of unbuilt trucks rather than a demand issue.

The backlog of bookings in queue at major OEMs exceeded 14 months, according to ACT Research. That means that with few exceptions, an order for a Class 8 power unit placed this month would be delivered in February 2023.

“Long backlog lead times resulting from ongoing supply constraints continue to pressure new order activity,” said Kenny Vieth, ACT...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/inability-to-produce-pushes-class-8-orders-to-lowest-november-in-26-years

Burgeoning back orders: Fleets reluctant to book new trucks in October

Muted Class 8 truck orders in October were more about long lead times than soft orders.

For the fourth month in the last five, preliminary tractor orders fell below 28,000 as manufacturers struggled to complete trucks missing semiconductors and a host of other parts, pushing 2021 orders into the middle of next year.

WATCH: Why are used truck prices going insane?

“With backlogs stretching into the second half of 2022 and still no clear visibility on the easing of the everything shortage, modest...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/burgeoning-back-orders-fleets-reluctant-to-book-new-trucks-in-october

Daimler Truck order bank overflowing but production stymied

Daimler Truck is awash in orders it cannot fill for new trucks because of a shortage of semiconductors and other hard-to-get parts and components.

In its last quarter as part of the Daimler AG (OTC: DDAIF) group that includes Mercedes-Benz cars and vans, the Truck and Bus Group reported considerably lower production and sales due to the ongoing semi shortage, according to Jochen Goetz, CFO of Daimler Truck & Bus.

Like its major global competitors that reported Q3 results earlier, Daimler has a...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/daimler-truck-order-bank-overflowing-but-production-stymied

Off pattern: September Class 8 truck orders align to supply shortage

Class 8 truck orders typically rise in September as manufacturers open their order books. That is not happening this year.

The combination of the semiconductor shortage and shortfalls in as many as 40 other parts needed to assemble heavy-duty trucks led manufacturers to write far fewer orders in September than the typical first month of fall.

Demand for new trucks is high. Freight rates continue to be elevated. But manufacturers cannot keep up. Even trucks they assemble are being parked awaiting...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/off-pattern-september-class-8-truck-orders-align-to-supply-shortage

Holding pattern: July Class 8 truck orders hide underlying demand

Class 8 truck orders in July significantly trailed demand for new equipment because manufacturers beset by supply shortages cannot build enough trucks.

Preliminary North America net orders in July were 25,800 units, unchanged from the  25,809 orders booked in June, according to ACT Research.

“In 2018, there was an explosion of orders across the industry, as dealers raced to get their places in rapidly growing out-year backlog queues,” said Kenny Vieth, ACT president and senior analyst.

Current...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/holding-pattern-july-class-8-truck-orders-hide-underlying-demand

Fall in May Class 8 truck orders masks underlying demand

Class 8 truck orders dropped significantly in May, obscuring strong underlying demand that cannot be met because of an already huge production backlog and supply chain constraints frustrating attempts to build more.

“We’re talking about the worst supply chain environment since the end of World War II,” Don Ake, FTR Transportation Intelligence vice president of commercial vehicles, said during a webinar Thursday. “We  never expected it to get this bad. We have over 25 components experiencing late...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/fall-in-may-class-8-truck-orders-masks-underlying-demand

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