Fleet branding rollouts almost never fail on design. They fail on logistics — vehicles arriving without documents, installs overlapping with morning delivery routes, one van looking slightly different from the other thirty. This checklist is the working version of the plan Wecare uses to brand fleets across the UAE. Copy it, adapt it, and use it to keep 10, 50 or 200 vehicles on schedule.
1. Vehicle audit
- List every vehicle in scope: make, model, year, colour, plate.
- Note existing branding, decals or wraps that need removal.
- Photograph all four sides plus roof of at least one of each model.
- Flag vehicles with damaged panels, faded paint or non-standard modifications.
2. Artwork and template
- Confirm final brand guidelines: colours (Pantone/CMYK), logos, tagline, contact block.
- Adapt the design to each vehicle template — a van layout is not a truck layout.
- Circulate a proof pack for internal sign-off before submission.
- Lock the artwork; changes after approval restart the process.
3. Approvals
- Identify which vehicles need RTA branding approval (or authority approval in other emirates).
- Submit trade licence, Mulkiya copies, EID and the approved artwork.
- Track approval reference numbers per vehicle for audit trail.
- Read the RTA approval guide for the full flow.
4. Production planning
- Order enough vinyl and laminate for the full run plus 10% for reprints.
- Batch print by vehicle model to keep colour consistent across all units.
- Label each print set with the target vehicle plate.
5. Install schedule
- Group installs so revenue-earning vehicles aren't off the road at the same time.
- Schedule overnight or weekend installs where operations don't stop.
- Confirm the driver drop-off and pick-up window per vehicle.
- Allow buffer for the odd panel needing rework — it is normal on the first-of-model.
6. Prep on arrival
- Vehicle washed, degreased and dried inside the workshop.
- Old decals and residue removed before any new vinyl goes on.
- Panels at workshop temperature (never install a vehicle straight out of Dubai sun).
More detail is in how to prepare a vehicle for branding.
7. Install acceptance
- QA against a reference photo of a signed-off vehicle.
- Check edges, corners and around door handles, mirrors and lights.
- Verify all required lights, plates and reflectors remain visible.
- Sign-off sheet per vehicle, with photos filed against the plate.
8. Handover to the fleet team
- Care sheet: how to wash, when to avoid brush car-washes, what not to use.
- Driver briefing on parking to reduce UV load on roofs and bonnets.
- Reporting channel for lifted edges or damage so they get fixed before spreading.
9. Ongoing maintenance
- Quarterly walk-around per vehicle for damage.
- Small patch jobs before they become full re-wraps.
- Planned refresh at 4–5 years for high-visibility vehicles.
10. End-of-life removal
- Book removal before the wrap ages past clean-lift point.
- Return the vehicle to plain paint for sale or re-brand for the next campaign.
For how we run this in practice, see fleet branding across the UAE and how the Wecare process works.