The trucking industry just can’t resist a headline that screams “growth.” And the latest one—“Trailer Orders Up Again!”—is no different. You can almost hear the collective sigh of relief from dispatch offices across America.
But before you break out the confetti and order another round of chrome bumpers, let’s have some straight talk: trailer orders are climbing, but this isn’t the comeback tour we’ve all been waiting for. It’s more like a cover band warming up the stage.
In other words: good news, but not great news.
The Numbers: A Small Climb, Not a Mountain
Here’s what has everyone talking:
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Net U.S. trailer orders hit 9,000 units in August, up 17% year-over-year and 3% higher than July (ACT Research).
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Seasonally adjusted, that comes out to 13,200 trailers.
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Year-to-date? Fleets have booked 109,800 units—that’s a 23% jump compared to the same period in 2024.
Sounds like momentum, right?
But zoom out and you’ll see the cracks:
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The backlog-to-build ratio dropped to 3.6 months (well below the 10-year average of 5.7).
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Cancellations? Still running at 1.9% of backlog.
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And the big one: orders are still way below the August 10-year average of 17,568 units.
It’s like saying your teenager “aced” a math quiz—when the quiz was only worth five points. Great effort, but it won’t change the report card.
Why Fleets Are Still Pumping the Brakes
If you’re scratching your head—“If orders are up, why aren’t we celebrating?”—the answer is simple: freight rates are still in the basement, and profit margins are tighter than a ratchet strap on a hot day.
Steve Bennett, president of Utility Trailer, admitted what many fleet managers already feel in their gut:
“Our order intake has continuously weakened all summer long, and the weakest month this summer was August.”
Translation? Even with the small bump, fleets aren’t rushing to buy. And you can thank a classic trucking problem: too many trailers chasing too little freight.
During the pandemic surge, the industry pumped out dry vans like candy on Halloween. Now? Many of those units are sitting idle, parked coast to coast like forgotten lawn ornaments.
As Bennett put it: “We definitely overproduced dry vans.”
Where the Bright Spots Are
Not every corner of the trailer world is stuck in neutral.
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Used trailers are hot. Fleets that can’t justify new builds are scooping up pre-owned equipment, and dealers are staying busy.
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Specialty trailers—think tankers, dumps, hoppers—are holding steady because those markets don’t depend on dry van cycles. Oil still moves. Crops still get hauled. Rock still needs dumping.
And here’s a leadership insight: when the big markets slow, smart fleets pivot. They chase the niche work that others overlook. That’s how you stay in business when the “easy” money dries up.
OEMs: Walking the Line Between Optimism and Overload
Let’s talk about the folks building these trailers.
FTR Transportation Intelligence reported 7,261 net orders in August—slightly better than last year, but down 4% from July and still less than half the long-term August average.
And here’s the kicker: builds are outpacing orders. Manufacturers are churning out trailers faster than fleets are buying them, which means backlogs are thinning like my hairline in my forties.
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Total backlog fell to 81,926 units, down 11% from July.
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Backlog-to-build ratio: 4.8 months, the lowest since 2020.
OEMs are feeling the squeeze. Toss in rising material costs, steel tariffs, and regulatory uncertainty, and you’ve got the perfect recipe for sleepless nights in corporate boardrooms.
A Case Study: ITS Logistics Doesn’t Wait Around
While some fleets hit pause, ITS Logistics is leaning in. In September, they added thousands of trailers to their DropFleet network, helping shippers deal with unpredictable demand through smarter trailer pools and yard management.
Josh Allen, ITS’s chief commercial officer, said it best:
“Peak season looks different this year, but shippers still need reliability, scalability, and on-time performance.”
That’s leadership. Instead of waiting for the market to “fix itself,” they’re building capacity where it counts—because freight doesn’t wait.
What This Means for Fleet Leaders
Let’s cut through the jargon and talk about what this really means for you:
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Don’t get drunk on headlines. Yes, orders are climbing, but they’re not anywhere close to long-term strength. Make decisions based on your books, not the news ticker.
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Used trailers = real opportunity. If you need capacity without breaking the bank, the secondary market is alive and kicking.
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Diversify where possible. Dry vans might be flooded, but tankers, dumps, and ag trailers still have healthy demand.
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Watch production trends. If OEMs slow down due to shrinking backlogs, pricing and lead times could swing. Plan now.
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Stay compliance-strong. Nothing torpedoes a struggling fleet faster than violations. Don’t cut corners to save a few bucks—because FMCSA fines make trailer payments look like pocket change.
Leadership 101: Don’t Confuse Activity with Progress
Here’s the bigger leadership principle hidden in these numbers: growth on paper isn’t always growth in reality.
Trailer orders inching up doesn’t mean fleets are thriving. It means fleets are cautiously dipping a toe back in the water.
True leaders don’t just react to the numbers—they dig deeper:
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What’s fueling the growth?
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Is it sustainable?
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Does this move fit our strategy, or are we just chasing headlines?
The difference between average managers and great leaders is this: great leaders don’t just drive the truck. They keep their eyes on the road, their mirrors checked, and their logbooks clean.
Where Eclipse DOT Comes In
Here’s where Eclipse DOT ties into the story. Trailer orders, fleet expansions, and market conditions all come with one unshakable truth: compliance never takes a holiday.
When markets shift, fleets often scramble—cutting corners, rushing purchases, ignoring the details. That’s when violations happen. That’s when audits burn you.
Eclipse DOT’s Effortless Compliance Framework™ is built to keep your operation out of the ditch:
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DOTDocs to keep your paperwork bulletproof.
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Mock audits that catch problems before regulators do.
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Training and leadership coaching that help your team build a culture of compliance.
Because let’s face it—nobody wants to explain to corporate why the FMCSA is knocking while you’re still trying to figure out if you can afford new trailers.
The Road Ahead
So, what’s next?
Most analysts agree: 2025 isn’t a breakout year. It’s a grind. Demand is improving in pockets, but the big recovery is still out on the horizon. OEMs will likely throttle back. Fleets will stay cautious. And freight rates will keep everyone on edge.
But if there’s one thing I know about trucking, it’s this: the fleets that last aren’t the ones who chase headlines. They’re the ones who stay disciplined, make smart bets, and keep their compliance game tight no matter what the market throws their way.
So celebrate the small win. Trailer orders are climbing again. But don’t hitch your hopes too high. The road ahead is still foggy, and the drivers who stay sharp, steady, and compliant are the ones who’ll come out ahead.