North America’s Trucking Giant Hits the Brakes: DTNA Sales Plunge as Market Cools

Source: DTNA

Daimler Truck North America (DTNA) is feeling the chill of a cooling freight market. The manufacturer — home to the Freightliner, Western Star and Thomas Built Buses brands — reported just 30,225 trucks and buses sold in Q3 2025, a 39% collapse compared to 49,346 during the same period last year.

The decline reflects a broader slowdown across the heavy-duty truck market. After eight straight months of shrinking Class 8 orders, the industry’s post-pandemic surge has clearly run out of fuel. Fleet operators, facing higher interest rates and slower freight demand, are holding back on new equipment purchases.

Daimler Truck had already telegraphed the downturn when it cut 2,000 production jobs earlier this year and revised its full-year outlook to 135,000–155,000 vehicles for DTNA. Parent company Daimler Truck has also announced 5,000 job cuts in Germany, underscoring the global nature of the slowdown.

While North America struggles, the company’s Mercedes-Benz Trucks division in Europe posted an 8% rise in deliveries, driven by steady demand for regional distribution and construction trucks. Globally, however, Daimler Truck sold 98,009 units, down 15% from a year earlier.

Adding to the headwinds, the World Trade Organization recently warned that global trade growth may nearly stall next year — trimming its 2026 forecast from 1.8% to just 0.5%.

DTNA is now leaning harder on its vocational and specialized vehicle segments — sectors seen as more resilient amid freight volatility. The company is also preparing for a turbulent 2026, when economic uncertainty and shifting emission rules could further disrupt North American manufacturing.

Full Q3 financial results are set to be released November 7, when analysts will be watching closely for signs of stabilization — or deeper trouble.