DTNA’s O’Leary Confident of Truck Demand Acceleration

Daimler Truck North America (DTNA) CEO John O’Leary is confident that truck demand will accelerate in the second half of 2026, citing rising fleet replacement needs. The company has seen an 8% year-over-year sales gain in Q2 and a 41.6% jump from Q1, with plans to rehire 400 workers and add 200 more at its North Carolina plant. O’Leary attributes the rebound to pent-up demand after a three-year freight downturn, where fleets aged their vehicles due to suppressed profitability. DTNA’s sales of trucks and buses rose to 41,687 vehicles in Q2, with the company expecting improved sales in the third quarter. The recent pickup in orders and sales may prompt a revision to the expected North American heavy-duty market sales, which is currently forecasted to be between 250,000 and 290,000 trucks. Class 8 orders totaled 31,400 trucks in June, a 231% jump compared to the year-ago period.