Motor Transport’s Fleet Data has revealed that falling truck numbers have driven an overall reduction in the total number of vehicles in the national fleet, during the four months to 28 July 2025.
MT’s weekly report includes details of over 1,000 of the UK’s fleets with O-licences for 75 or more vehicles over 3.5 tonnes GVW.
These fleets together have licences for over 300,000 trucks and 240,000 trailers – more than 540,000 commercial vehicles in total.
Data on the national fleet
MT Fleet Data’s latest research shows that truck numbers took the greatest hit in the national fleet in Q2.
In the week to 31 March the total number of trucks stood at 299,969 but fell by 525, to a total of 299,444, by 28 July this year, the index revealed.
However, trailer numbers rose by 419, up from 243,251 to 243,670, in the same period.
Combining both truck and trailer numbers reveals that the total fleet number fell by 106 vehicles, from 543,220 to 543,114 during the four months to 28 July.
Within that period, fleet numbers fluctuated marginally. Truck numbers peaked in the week to 7 April, rising to 300,003 and were at their lowest in the week to 6 May, falling to a low of 298,960.
Trailer numbers reached their highest point in the week of 23 June at 243,809 and were at their lowest in the week of 31 March, standing at 243,251.
The total fleet peaked in the week to 23 June, rising to 543,455, up from a low of 542,243 in the week to 6 May.
Data on the 3PL fleet
MT’s Fleet Data team have also extrapolated the figures for 3PLs in this period
The total of 3PL trucks rose during the quarter to 123,542, up from 162,152.
Within the four month period, the highest number of 3PL trucks was recorded at 162,888 in the week to 28 April, whilst the week to 7 July saw the lowest number which stood at 160,608.
3PL trailer numbers also rose from 184,515 to 184,852 in the period. At their peak 3PL trailers stood at 185,446 in the week to 23 June and reached a low of 184,512 in the week to 7 July.
Data on 3PLs operating more than 500 trucks
Within the cohort of 3PLs operating more than 500 trucks, the number of lorries rose from 92,313 to 94,214 during the four month period.
Trailers operated by these 3PLs rose in the period from 106,177 to 107,475, with the week to 7 April recording a low of 106,114 trailers, and the week to 9 June showing a high of 108,807.
Data on 3PLs running 100 - 499 trucks
3pls operating between 100 to 499 trucks saw their truck fleet numbers jump from 38,641 to 40,383 in the period. Truck numbers tumbled to a low of 37,007 in the two weeks to 26 May but had recovered by 28 July rising to a high of 40,383.
During the quarter, this cohort of companies saw trailer numbers go up from 44,209 to 46,520.
The week to 14 April recorded the lowest number of trailers, standing at 43,723, whilst the week of 28 July saw trailer numberssurge to 46,520.
Data on 3PLs running less than 100 trucks
Those 3PLs running less than 100 trucks saw their total truck fleet fall steadily in the four months from 31,298 to 27,945 - the lowest amount of any week in the period.
Similarly trailer numbers also dropped in the quarter, from 34129 to the lowest number of trailers recorded over the four month period, at 30851. The week of 7 April recorded the highest number of trailers in this group, standing at 34,274.
Data on own account trucks
Turning to own account trucks MT’s Fleet Data reveals that the national total of own account trucks amounted to 137,046 at the start of the quarter and fell to 136,902 by the end.
Trailers in this group stood at 58,103 at the start of the quarter and rose marginally to 58,818 by the final week.
The highest number of own account trucks during the four month period was in the week to 21 July, at 138,701, whilst the lowest number recorded was 135,514 in the week to 28 April.
The number of won account trailers also went up slightly during the period from 58,103 to 58,818.
At its lowest the trailer fleet fell to 57,856 vehicles on 28 April and reached a high of 59,003 trailers in the week to 21 July.
For all the latest fleet statistics go to Motor Transport Fleet Data.
HEADLINE FIGURES
Fleets up on last week:
Dual Logistic: 110 trucks - up 30 // 110 trailers - up 30
DX Network Services: 1,343 trucks - up 30 // 1,249 trailers - up 8
Royal Mail Group: 4,246 trailers - up 80
MTS Cleansing: 372 trucks - up 16
Unipart: 639 trucks - up 5 // 559 trailers - up 5
Fleets down on last week:
Turners (Soham): 1,718 trucks - down 41 // 2,042 trailers - down 26
GXO Logistics UK: 6,723 trailers - down 18
ArrowXL: 171 trailers - down 12
FCC Environmental: 213 trailers - down 3
GBA Services: 131 trailers - down 3
