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Class 8 Orders Explode in June Amid Clogged Backlogs, High Freight Demand

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Surging Class 8 orders in June rushed past 42,000 units as fleets and dealers scrambled to get in line for 2019 production since clogged backlogs and supply chain disruptions have largely choked off the chance of getting a new truck this year.

ACT Research Co. said June orders hit 42,200, up 133% from a year earlier when orders were 18,104. ACT cited preliminary data it will fine tune when final figures are out later in July.

“The swelling backlogs are the manifestation of all the underlying demand — the economy and the strength in freight, the capacity crunch. All those good things,” ACT Vice President Steve Tam told Transport Topics.

How much will Amazon move the needle on last-mile logistics?

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News of Amazon recruiting small businesses with “little to no logistics experience” for last-mile delivery services threw the news media and stock market into a tizzy.

The e-commerce giant announced its plan Thursday to provide entrepreneurs with Amazon-branded uniforms and delivery vans along with thousands of dollars in reimbursement to fulfill last-mile deliveries, citing high consumer demand and strained capacity.