According to an article published by Freight Waves, the number of trailer orders hit a record high figure for a second month running, at 56,500! The orders recorded occurred for different reasons. Some search for the replacement of old equipment. And others intended to keep up with the consumer goods demand, which is expected to continue rising. Others were concerned that there would be material shortages in the foreseeable future. The tally is higher than September and country miles more than what was realized during the same period in 2019.

Demand for refrigerated containers and vans is on the rise

Chris Hammond, executive vice president of sales at Great Dane trailers, stated that they received many orders for both refrigerated containers and vans. On the other hand, the flatbed sector had lesser orders. Projections show that the consumer goods demand will be on the rise with time. The same is attributed to the Covid-19 pandemic. The orders are set to be delivered in the second half of 2021.

Both motor carriers and trailer makers have experienced shortages of workers. Wabash National CEO Brent Yeagy stated that the labor market is in a distinctive form currently. Hammond said that the hiring process is ongoing since they need even more workers. The primary concern is acquiring a balance between the speed of hiring and the quality they get. Therefore, they must remain careful to get the right people for productivity.

Don Ake, FTR vice president of commercial vehicles, stated that the high number of orders is not different from what transpired in 2019 over the same period. Also, he said that there would be problems with components as they are not delivered fast enough due to the pandemic. He, however, remained optimistic, claiming that the challenges would be resolved with time. Because, the result will be some orders being either canceled or postponed.

Sean Kenney,chief sales officer for Hyundai Translead, claimed that he was confident despitethe cancellations that have been done so far. He attributed his confidence tothe fact that the trend dating back to August was good. He stated that theorders were meant to cover replacements for old equipment in 2021 and partly2020. Yeagy was also optimistic, claiming that there would be more returns in2021 compared to the current year.