For-hire carrier C.R. England is opening up its truck cabs to new technology for the first time this century. One of the largest fleets in the U.S. is adding Platform Science technology to 4,000 tractors. The technology company said it would make it easier for the fleet to develop, deploy, and manage other mobile services on its vehicles.
C.R. England (the fifth largest fleet on the 2022 FleetOwner 500 For-Hire list) will use Platform Science's platform to integrate Trimble MAPS’ commercial vehicle road network and routing engine along with Drivewyze Preclear, a mobile-based weigh station application.
See also: DTNA launches Virtual Vehicle, a Platform Science-powered open OEM fleet management platform
"For the first time in more than three decades, we are opening our cab up to a new partner in Platform Science, whose innovative technology offers the flexibility our fleet needs,” said Chad England, CEO of C.R. England. “As we continue on this next century as a leader in transportation solutions, we look forward to working with Platform Science to elevate and transform our business."
C.R. England’s fleet focuses on dedicated, over-the-road, cross-border-Mexico, and intermodal freight services. For years, the leading fleet has focused on finding better tractor and trailer aerodynamics, weight reduction, and optimizing fuel economy and routing.
Luke Wachtel, SVP of transportation and logistics at Platform Science, said the carrier “strives for greater efficiency in managing logistics and improving driver experience. Our unified, customizable platform will provide the company with the tools to accomplish their goals while allowing them to stay true to their family-owned roots."
C.R. England subsidiary England Logistics has a portfolio of non-asset-based transportation solutions, including full truckload services, intermodal, dry and temp-controlled LTL, parcel, and supply chain management.
"From its early days with a single Model T truck to more than a century later with a fleet of more than 4,000 trucks, C.R. England has been a transportation solutions leader, and we are grateful to partner with a company whose values align with ours," Wachtel said.
England said his family-owned company puts “a premium on relationships and trust. After getting to know the Platform Science team, we quickly realized this is a partner that shares our values and sees this collaboration as the start of a journey together."
Platform Science’s deal with C.R. England follows the technology company’s development work with Daimler Truck North America. The Virtual Vehicle DTNA and Platform Science developed is the first open OEM platform for fleets to access telematics, software solutions, real-time vehicle data, and third-party applications. Cargo Transporters plans to outfit nearly 500 tractors with the technology. The system allows fleets to change vehicles’ software solutions without switching out telematics hardware inside the truck.
