Demand for heavy-duty trucks will continue to increase in the second half of 2010 and into 2011, according to ACT Research, a firm that tracks trucking industry trends.
ACT Research believes full-year production for Class 8 trucks will be up 26% vs. 2009. The predicted gain for medium-duty (Classes 5-7) vehicle production is 12% year-over-year.
"Key building blocks to support improved demand for heavy-duty commercial vehicles are coming into alignment," says ACT Senior Analyst Kenny Veith. "On the transportation side, all major freight indicators are solidly positive, which has allowed truckload hauling capacity to tighten rapidly. This, in turn, is allowing freight rates to rise and sets the stage for materially stronger trucker profits."
