Freight Haulers Order 45,000 New Big Rigs in 2018

[longknife]

Backlog for delivery extends into 2019

Truck drivers, as we’ve previously reported on this blog, are in big demand. The hours are long, some of the onerous regulations from the Obama era are still in place, and the pay is from $66k to $71k per year. Some haulers add percs and often allow spouses to team up.

North American freight-haulers ordered more than 300,000 Class 8 trucks in the first seven months of this year and are on track to order a record 450,000 of the heavy-duty vehicles for the full year, according to ACT Research. That would be the largest book since 2004, when orders reached 390,000, according to analysts.

This also points out that the manufacturers need employees.

More @ Get in Line: Backlog for Big Rigs Stretches to 2019

 

[JakeStarkey]

Until the tariffs and inflation costs kick in.

 

[Manonthestreet]

and the new vehicles also get better fuel mileage—an attractive feature for fleets as other costs are rising. Get in Line: Backlog for Big Rigs Stretches to 2019

 

[william the wie]

The backlog will get worse

 

[longknife]

I bet they're nothing like the old rigs with manual transmissions that had 24 forward and 18 in reverse.

 

[Jomama]

isn't this all because the drivers hours were reduced and phoney 2nd log books have been replaced with digital and GPS? Less miles/driver = more drivers needed = more trucks. There are also, as I';m sure you've seen, mid-range haul bottlenecks due to shorter hours. Between bumping docks, trips over 4-5 hours can no longer be done in a round trip which is causing a real issue for 5 - 12 hour turns. And the economy is good, for sure. (there's a bubble building somewhere)

 

[william the wie]

isn't this all because the drivers hours were reduced and phoney 2nd log books have been replaced with digital and GPS? Less miles/driver = more drivers needed = more trucks. There are also, as I';m sure you've seen, mid-range haul bottlenecks due to shorter hours. Between bumping docks, trips over 4-5 hours can no longer be done in a round trip which is causing a real issue for 5 - 12 hour turns. And the economy is good, for sure. (there's a bubble building somewhere)

It could well be that the expected transfer of trucking to the east and Gulf coasts is happening now.

The scales of economy of container ships has slowed way down.

The Panama canal can now be built bigger safely without major worries of major expansions in the future. That is a major cost savings because the East and Gulf ports can reach the foot hills of the Rockies by truck or barge cheaper than it costs to ship from the west coast over the mountains to the great plains.

If a high speed rail network is built where land is relatively cheap and flat transportation costs will go down even further. So, you may be right about a bubble or bubbles busting in the near future.