Paccar Projects Strong Q2 Acceleration in Class 8 Truck Orders

Key Details Paccar executives are forecasting a significant uptick in North American Class 8 truck sales and production during the second quarter of 2026. CEO Preston Feight stated that the company is at the beginning of what appears to be an acceleration, with Q1 annualized build rates hovering around 200,000 units. The company maintains its 2026 industry forecast of 230,000-270,000 Class 8 trucks sold across the U.S. and Canada. Why It Matters With all Kenworth and Peterbilt Q2 build slots already filled and a majority of Q3 and Q4 capacity spoken for, the company is positioning itself to capture strong demand. Paccar brands combined for a 30.3% market share in 2025 and are targeting 35% share. The ramp-up in demand appears broad-based, driven by improving spot rates, stronger contract rates, and solid performance across vocational and less-than-truckload segments. Current Performance In Q1 2026, Kenworth and Peterbilt sold 17,800 vehicles combined, down 19.8% year-over-year. However, both brands improved their individual market shares, with Kenworth capturing 15.5% and Peterbilt securing 14.6% of Class 8 retail sales compared to their year-ago percentages.