Descartes acquires fleet safety platform Idelic for $28M

AI-powered offering uses 40B miles of driving data to make decisions

Descartes has made 36 acquisitions since 2016. (Photo: Jim Allen/FreightWaves)

Descartes Systems Group announced it has acquired fleet safety solutions provider Idelic for $28 million. The AI-powered platform manages driver performance, allowing fleets to operate more safely. The deal adds another large dataset to Descartes’ Global Logistics Network.

Pittsburgh-based Idelic’s platform combines monitoring, reporting and training on one system, helping fleets identify and mitigate risky behaviors. The dataset includes over 40 billion miles of driving data along with more than 400,000 accident reports.

“Built on years of machine learning applied to predictive accident models across more than 150 fleets, Idelic’s AI capabilities are field-proven in predicting driver risk and optimizing safety training interventions,” a news release stated.

The deal will expand Descartes’ (NASDAQ: DSGX) Fleet Data Intelligence platform, combining existing route planning solutions with predictive safety capabilities.

“Productivity and safety are equally critical for fleet operators,” said James Wee, general manager of fleet management at Descartes. “This acquisition adds critical data to our GLN and enhances Descartes’ final-mile footprint by adding highly advanced fleet safety capabilities and deep domain expertise.”

Descartes funded the deal with cash on hand. A performance-based earnout of up to $12 million is based on various revenue targets in the two-year period following the closing.

The acquisition marked Descartes’ 36th since 2016.

Last week, Descartes introduced its Fleet Data Intelligence platform, which uses an AI agent and machine learning to improve fleet performance and reduce cost per delivery.

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Todd Maiden

Based in Richmond, VA, Todd is the finance editor at FreightWaves. Prior to joining FreightWaves, he covered the TLs, LTLs, railroads and brokers for RBC Capital Markets and BB&T Capital Markets. Todd began his career in banking and finance before moving over to transportation equity research where he provided stock recommendations for publicly traded transportation companies.