INTERNATIONAL NAMED ONE OF THE MOST TRUSTWORTHY COMPANIES IN AMERICA FOR 2026
By Cristina Commendatore, chief editor and content manager, International Motors, LLC
Trust is earned, and it doesn’t happen overnight. Building trust involves consistency, admitting fault, making an active effort to correct errors, and leading with authenticity.
International Motors, LLC* (International) takes that to heart.
This year, Newsweek and Statista recognized International’s tenacity and commitment to customer experience, quality, the communities where we live and work, and employee empowerment by naming us to the list of “Most Trustworthy Companies in America 2026.”
For the fifth time, Newsweek, in collaboration with market research partner Statista, recognized the Most Trustworthy Companies in America across 23 industries. Based on evaluations of U.S. residents, International was listed in the Automotive & Components category for 2026.
“In the corporate world, maintaining trust among customers, employees and investors is paramount for success in a competitive landscape,” according to Newsweek. “The ranking Most Trustworthy Companies in America 2026 wants to provide guidance and to highlight the companies that are most trusted in the United States.”
According to Newsweek, the Most Trustworthy Companies were selected based on a holistic approach to evaluating trust, with three primary pillars considered:
- customer trust
- investor trust
- employee trust
When we think about elevating the customer experience, International strives to deliver solutions that move our customers forward. We do that through partnerships and working alongside one of the largest dealer networks in the industry.
Together with our dealers, we deliver unified and comprehensive solutions offerings paired with deep industry knowledge and customer understanding.
On a mission to lower operating costs, improve uptime, and boost driver morale, Menzel sought not only the right equipment, but the right service and warranty solutions.
Last year, Menzel purchased new International® HX Series® dump trucks — their first new units from their Lakeside International Trucks dealer — equipped with the International® S13 Integrated Powertrain and T14 Transmission.
Before making a final decision, Menzel executives spent time with Lakeside International researching the S13 Integrated Powertrain from the dealer’s sales department, general management, owners and maintenance department.
“It was important for us as a company to understand where these trucks were coming from, how they were being built, and what the benefits were compared to the other trucks that we have had in the past,” said Todd Menzel, co-owner and chief operating officer, Menzel Enterprises.
“From the dealership to the truck, we’ve had a good experience,” Todd Menzel added. “The integrated powertrain, the driver comfort, the support — it all adds up. This model is the future for a lot of companies.”
International, the North American commercial vehicle brand within the global TRATON GROUP, had a slow and challenging start to the year amid the end of a yearslong freight recession and varying market pressures. TRATON openly communicated that slow start to the year and headwinds with investors while also providing real examples of encouragement.
For International, truck orders for 2026 began stabilizing and nearly doubled. International has also continued living its commitment to TRATON investors and our brand promise to provide quality solutions that drive customers forward with the:
- Introduction of the 2027 S13® Integrated Powertrain that meets the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) emissions requirements for 2027 model year trucks.
- Joint autonomous truck pilot with Ryder System, Inc. that places a factory-integrated autonomous vehicle (AV) into a live freight operation.
- Roll out of My International™, a connected digital ecosystem that redefines the customer ownership experience by consolidating fleet monitoring, remote vehicle functionality, maintenance management, and dealer communications into a single interface.
- Penske Truck Leasing Best Innovative Supplier award recognition: “Congratulations to International Motors for being named Best Innovative Supplier for 2025,” said Paul Rosa, senior vice president, Procurement & Fleet Planning, Penske Truck Leasing. “Our customers, which are comprised of fleets both small and large, rely on Penske to provide them with the most efficient uptime. Our top suppliers are so instrumental in allowing our company to provide great services.”
Each year, International employees work with partners to give back by volunteering in the communities where we live, work and manufacture. Whether it's collecting and distributing food and necessities to at-risk communities, responding to relief efforts after a natural disaster, or planting trees in areas of need, our teams across every location partner with their local communities to make a difference and demonstrate our core value of responsibility for the environment and society.
“International employees care about the communities where we serve and where we do business,” said International Chief Human Resources Officer Gabriel Duarte-Urrutia. “This is not something that we can manufacture. This is something that is built over time, and that is what our legacy has given to us.”
Through the years, International employees have been recognized for the significant achievements they’ve made within the commercial vehicle industry. A handful from this year include:
- Navtej Singh, director of powertrain engineering at International, was named a 2025 SAE International Fellow.
- The Women in Trucking (WIT) Association named two International employees as part of its 2026 Top Women to Watch list. Shahera Brailey, senior engineering manager, and Rebecca Zeman, functional lead enterprise transformation, were among 75 professionals recognized for exemplifying WIT’s mission, vision and values.
- Charles “Chas” Voyles, Jr., associate director, Customer Service and Fleet, International, was featured in Fleet Maintenance magazine’s series highlighting fleet leaders who use grit and strategy to get to the top.
- International’s Chief Diversity Officer Nicole Wiggins was named the Women in Trucking Association (WIT) Member of the Month for February.
International is also serious about empowering employees through unified ways of working, collaboration, and leadership development. Our internal teams within what we call International University help shape how employees learn, grow and navigate change.
The University intentionally blends instructional design, project management and cross-functional partnerships to deliver award-winning experiences for all employees regardless of role and location. In 2025, International won two Brandon Hall Awards for training modules developed and released in 2024. The Brandon Hall Award is one of the most respected global honors in learning and development and showcases International’s commitment to employee growth.
As International looks ahead, we know one thing is true: we do our best work when we do it together. Whether we’re providing solutions for customers, advancing sustainable mobility, strengthening workforce pathways, or investing in our communities, the future will be shaped by a willingness to solve problems and build trust together.
