C. R. England Trucking
Encyclopedia
C.R. England, Inc. is a West Valley City, Utah
based refrigerated trucking
and transportation company, one of the largest in the United States
. The company is private
, family-owned, and has expanded more than tenfold over the last 20 years. C.R. England offers a range of global transportation services to help customers manage and move materials, finished products, and other goods. England has the capability to ship refrigerated and dry freight and manage dedicated fleets or an engineered supply chain system. The company has more than 35 business units, and the majority of those fall into one of two larger divisions:
.
Born in 1896 to a farming family who lived in Plain City, Utah
, England was married in 1916, and was called on a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, leaving his new bride for two and a half years to serve in the southern United states.
In 1920, Chester came to the conclusion that there had to be an easier way to make a living than farming, and in 1920, Chester bought his first Model T truck with the idea of providing farm to market service for the farmers in Weber County
and Cache Valley
. Over time, his business picked up more and more customers, providing a service that the farmers had needed for many years as well as hauling milk for the Weber Dairy. During World War II
, he began buying Mexican bananas that were coming into the country at El Paso, Texas
. He hauled and distributed these throughout Utah
, returning to Texas with potatoes.
As the Central American bananas became available, the Mexican fruit could not compete in quality, so the banana haul was replaced with produce and the focus of the operation moved to California
and Arizona
. In 1957, England began 72-hour coast-to-coast service, something previously unavailable to American shippers.
in 1966, and founded Common Market, the company that later became Swift Transportation
in 1969. Brothers Kevin and Keith Knight and along their cousins Randy and Gary Knight, who also moved to Phoenix and worked for Swift, then founded Knight Transportation
in 1990. Jeff England founded Pride Transport in 1979 in Salt Lake City.
Today C.R. England operates with more than 5,900 drivers and independent-contractors, and over 1,300 non-driver support staff. The company has focused its efforts primarily toward the refrigerated truckload
service. It has been family owned and operated for four generations, and the current management team includes third and fourth generation England family members.
C.R. England provides services throughout North America including over-the-road, dedicated, and regional applications. It also has six truck driving schools located nationwide that provide Commercial driver's license
(CDL) training. Today, this company has 3,666 late model Freightliner
, International, Volvo
and Peterbilt
tractors, and about 5,000 Utility and Wabash National trailers in service and generates over $750 million in revenue. In 1998, CEO Dan England reported that the company had grown at 18 to 20 percent annually since 1985, from an annual revenue of $30 million in 1985 to over $300 million in 1997.
C.R. England's tractors are all equipped with the OmniTRACS two-way satellite communication system, providing dispatchers with instant contact with every driver, while knowing the general location of each truck.
West Valley City, Utah
West Valley City is a city in Salt Lake County and a suburb of Salt Lake City in the U.S. state of Utah. The population was 129,480 at the 2010 census,...
based refrigerated trucking
Truck driver
A truck driver , is a person who earns a living as the driver of a truck, usually a semi truck, box truck, or dump truck.Truck drivers provide an essential service to...
and transportation company, one of the largest in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The company is private
Privately held company
A privately held company or close corporation is a business company owned either by non-governmental organizations or by a relatively small number of shareholders or company members which does not offer or trade its company stock to the general public on the stock market exchanges, but rather the...
, family-owned, and has expanded more than tenfold over the last 20 years. C.R. England offers a range of global transportation services to help customers manage and move materials, finished products, and other goods. England has the capability to ship refrigerated and dry freight and manage dedicated fleets or an engineered supply chain system. The company has more than 35 business units, and the majority of those fall into one of two larger divisions:
- C.R. England Transportation Services: Asset-based transportation services that deliver economies of scale, ready capacity, control and visibility of freight, and full-range services throughout North America, including Canada and Mexico.
- England Logistics: A set of non asset-based services, ranging from parcel and LTL, to full truckload, warehousing, supply-chain engineering, and international freight forwarding.
History
C.R. England was founded by Chester Rodney England in 1920. C.R. England began when Chester provided "farm to market" service for farmers in northern UtahUtah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
.
Born in 1896 to a farming family who lived in Plain City, Utah
Plain City, Utah
Plain City is a city in Weber County, Utah, United States. The population was 3,489 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Ogden–Clearfield, Utah Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
, England was married in 1916, and was called on a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, leaving his new bride for two and a half years to serve in the southern United states.
In 1920, Chester came to the conclusion that there had to be an easier way to make a living than farming, and in 1920, Chester bought his first Model T truck with the idea of providing farm to market service for the farmers in Weber County
Weber County, Utah
Weber County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah, occupying a stretch of the Wasatch Front, part of the eastern shores of Great Salt Lake, and much of the rugged Wasatch Mountains. As of the 2000 census, the population was 196,533, an increase of 24.1% over its population in 1990. By...
and Cache Valley
Cache Valley
The Cache Valley is an agricultural valley of northern Utah and southeast Idaho that includes the Logan metropolitan area. The valley was used by 19th century mountain men and was the site of the 1863 Bear River Massacre.-History:...
. Over time, his business picked up more and more customers, providing a service that the farmers had needed for many years as well as hauling milk for the Weber Dairy. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, he began buying Mexican bananas that were coming into the country at El Paso, Texas
El Paso, Texas
El Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...
. He hauled and distributed these throughout Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
, returning to Texas with potatoes.
As the Central American bananas became available, the Mexican fruit could not compete in quality, so the banana haul was replaced with produce and the focus of the operation moved to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
. In 1957, England began 72-hour coast-to-coast service, something previously unavailable to American shippers.
Carl Moyes and the Knights
Carl Moyes was a driver for C.R. England in the 1940s, and his two sons, Jerry and Ronald, were childhood friends with Jeff England, son of Gene and grandson of Chester. Carl left CR England to start his own company with his wife, Betty, B & C Truck Leasing. Carl and Betty later employed the Knight cousins to drive for them. Maude Knight married Chester R. England in 1916. Carl and his two sons moved to Phoenix, ArizonaPhoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
in 1966, and founded Common Market, the company that later became Swift Transportation
Swift Transportation
Swift Transportation is a Phoenix, Arizona based publicly held American truckload motor shipping carrier, the largest in the United States with over 16,000 trucks.-About:...
in 1969. Brothers Kevin and Keith Knight and along their cousins Randy and Gary Knight, who also moved to Phoenix and worked for Swift, then founded Knight Transportation
Knight Transportation
Knight Transportation , is a publicly traded Phoenix, Arizona, based American truckload motor shipping carrier, founded in 1990 by four cousins:brothers,Randy and Gary Knight and brothers Kevin and Keith Knight.The four cousins worked for Swift Transportation, also based in Phoenix, and Randy was...
in 1990. Jeff England founded Pride Transport in 1979 in Salt Lake City.
Modern growth
Refrigerator truck
A refrigerator truck is a van or truck designed to carry perishable freight at specific temperatures. Like refrigerator cars, refrigerated trucks differ from simple insulated and ventilated vans , neither of which are fitted with cooling apparatus...
service. It has been family owned and operated for four generations, and the current management team includes third and fourth generation England family members.
C.R. England provides services throughout North America including over-the-road, dedicated, and regional applications. It also has six truck driving schools located nationwide that provide Commercial driver's license
Commercial driver's license
A Commercial Driver's License is a driver's license required in the United States to operate any type of vehicle which has a gross vehicle weight rating of 26,001 lb or more for commercial use, or transports quantities of hazardous materials that require warning placards under Department of...
(CDL) training. Today, this company has 3,666 late model Freightliner
Freightliner LLC
Freightliner Trucks is an American manufacturer of heavy duty trucks, chassis and semi-trailer trucks in the United States. The company was founded as Freightliner Inc in 1942 and is now a division of Daimler Trucks North America, a subsidiary of the German Daimler AG...
, International, Volvo
Volvo Trucks
Volvo Trucks is a global truck manufacturer based in Sweden, owned by Volvo Group - AB Volvo it is the world's second largest heavy-duty truck brand....
and Peterbilt
Peterbilt
Peterbilt Motors Company is an American manufacturer of medium- and heavy-duty Class 5 through Class 8 trucks headquartered in Denton, Texas. Founded in 1939 Peterbilt operates manufacturing facilities in Denton, Texas , and Sainte-Thérèse, Quebec...
tractors, and about 5,000 Utility and Wabash National trailers in service and generates over $750 million in revenue. In 1998, CEO Dan England reported that the company had grown at 18 to 20 percent annually since 1985, from an annual revenue of $30 million in 1985 to over $300 million in 1997.
C.R. England's tractors are all equipped with the OmniTRACS two-way satellite communication system, providing dispatchers with instant contact with every driver, while knowing the general location of each truck.