FleetWise Launches 2026 Trusted Brands Report as Fleets Seek Evidence-Based Supplier Partnerships

June 5, 2026

FleetWise has officially launched the fifth edition of its annual 100 Trusted Brands in Fleet Report, revealing the suppliers UK fleet managers trust most as they navigate one of the most complex operating environments the sector has faced.

Based on extensive fleet research and brand performance analysis, the 2026 report highlights a market where supplier choice has become increasingly strategic, with fleets seeking partners capable of helping them manage rising costs, growing compliance requirements, vehicle electrification and increasingly complex data challenges.

Launching the report, Ian Richardson, Managing Director of 360 Media Group, said: "Trust takes years to build and moments to lose. Brands that inspire confidence gain a clear advantage by consistently proving their values and delivering on their promises. Research from the Fleet Power Index highlights a strong connection between awareness, trust and brand consideration – with the most trusted brands best placed to achieve long-term success."

His comments reflect the growing importance of trusted supplier relationships as fleet operators face mounting pressure to reduce costs, accelerate decarbonisation and manage increasingly complex operational requirements.

A key theme of this year's report is a retrospective look at Five Years of Seismic Change for Fleets. Since the first Trusted Brands report was published in 2022, fleet operators have faced unprecedented disruption. The combined impact of decarbonisation targets, supply chain shortages, inflationary pressures, evolving ESG expectations and rapid advances in fleet technology has fundamentally changed how fleets operate.

What was once a focus on managing the total cost of vehicle ownership has evolved into a broader strategic challenge centred on controlling the total cost of operations while maintaining productivity and supporting the transition to zero-emission transport. Fleet leaders are increasingly focused on rightsizing fleets, improving vehicle utilisation, extending replacement cycles and harnessing data-driven decision-making to optimise performance.

The report also highlights how connected technologies, telematics and integrated fleet platforms are enabling operators to move from reacting to problems to actively preventing them through predictive maintenance, driver coaching and smarter route planning.

The findings suggest that fleet managers are under pressure from multiple directions. Managing vehicle and driver data remains the sector's biggest operational challenge, cited by 24% of fleet operators, while 16% identify the transition to electric vans as a major source of complexity. At the same time, fleets are embracing technology-led solutions, with 65% using driver behaviour analysis tools, 63% deploying fuel cards, 62% adopting route optimisation software and 59% investing in predictive maintenance programmes.

The report argues that trust has become one of the fleet sector's most valuable currencies, with operators increasingly demanding measurable outcomes rather than marketing promises when selecting suppliers.

A new feature for 2026 is a dedicated focus on what FleetWise describes as the "Success Gap" – the disconnect between the operational improvements fleets achieve with suppliers and the limited sharing of those results across the wider industry. To address this, the report showcases ten trusted supplier partnerships, highlighting examples of measurable fleet improvements in areas such as maintenance control, compliance, cost management and operational efficiency.

Among the featured partnerships are examples of fleets transforming maintenance management through centralised service programmes, gaining greater cost visibility and control, while others have achieved significant reductions in insurance claims and improvements in driver compliance through data-led risk management strategies.

The 2026 edition also introduces ten practical quick guides designed to help fleet decision-makers evaluate suppliers and procurement options across key fleet disciplines. In addition, the report contains refreshed supplier shortlists featuring 12 new entrants to the Top 100 Trusted Brands rankings.

One of the report's standout features remains the recognition of Gold Standard Brands – suppliers that have maintained a place within the Top 100 Trusted Brands programme for all five years since its launch. These organisations have demonstrated sustained fleet confidence through a period marked by supply chain disruption, electrification, economic uncertainty and changing operational priorities.

Gold Standard recognition spans key supplier categories including EV services and payments, fleet software, telematics, leasing, salary sacrifice and fleet management. The report highlights brands that continue to support fleet priorities around data integration, operational efficiency, charging infrastructure and vehicle management.

Alongside expert supplier interviews and category insights, the report includes a comprehensive A–Z directory of the UK's most trusted fleet suppliers, providing fleet operators with an independent resource to support future procurement decisions and supplier selection.

As fleet operations become increasingly data-driven and strategically complex, the 2026 100 Trusted Brands in Fleet Report offers a practical guide to identifying the suppliers, technologies and partnerships helping organisations deliver measurable results in a changing market.

The report is available now at FleetWise Online, supported by a series of special edition Trusted Brands newsletters exploring the rankings, supplier insights, category trends and best practices shaping the future of fleet management.

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