Furnishings World Information Desk on
11/7/2023
J.B. Hunt Transport Companies Inc., one of many largest provide chain options suppliers in North America, and BNSF Railway (BNSF), North America’s largest intermodal rail supplier, in the present day introduced the launch of Quantum, a breakthrough intermodal service that accommodates the service-sensitive freeway freight wants of buyer provide chains.
Quantum supplies the consistency, agility and pace wanted to move service-sensitive freeway freight utilizing rail. Options are custom-made particularly to every buyer’s wants, taking into consideration service expectations, transit necessities and operational procedures. The Quantum crew is comprised of each J.B. Hunt and BNSF operators housed collectively at a brand new Intermodal Innovation Middle at BNSF headquarters in Fort Value, Texas. Their workflow is built-in at each step of the intermodal transport course of – from planning to execution and oversight to exception administration.
“Quantum permits clients with service-sensitive freight to profit from the price financial savings of intermodal, whereas decreasing their carbon footprint and sustaining the extent of service and consistency wanted of their provide chains,” stated Darren Area, president of intermodal at J.B. Hunt. “Our joint service and capability are unmatched. When mixed with J.B. Hunt’s broad vary of versatile options, there’s no supplier within the {industry} who can match Quantum’s means to maneuver your most essential freight.”
Quantum clients can anticipate as much as 95 p.c on-time supply service roughly a day quicker than conventional intermodal service. Planning begins with aligning forecasts for dray, container and rail capability with buyer wants. Precedence drayage and rail motion are included to offer quicker, extra constant transits.
“We’re excited to convey this revolutionary imaginative and prescient to life by creating Quantum with J.B. Hunt,” stated Tom Williams, group vp of client merchandise at BNSF. “Constructed on a long-standing strategic partnership basis and many years of intermodal capability growth investments, Quantum will present a quicker and extra constant intermodal resolution to clients. Our new Intermodal Innovation Middle will foster continued collaboration between our corporations to proceed evolving with our clients’ provide chain wants and create the intermodal resolution of the long run.”
The Quantum crew supplies 24/7 oversight of each Quantum load and may shortly detect and resolve points earlier than they impression ultimate supply. Service and expertise integration enable the Quantum crew to determine variability and suggest an alternate resolution amongst normal intermodal, expedited intermodal and over-the-road.
“Quantum supplies the distinctive intermodal service wanted to constantly meet the calls for of probably the most advanced freight,” stated Spencer Frazier, government vp of selling and gross sales at J.B. Hunt. “Its options are versatile to handle provide chain challenges in actual time. Prospects have entry to a number of modes for surprising considerations resembling potential delays, quantity surges or manufacturing points.”
Quantum is a premium intermodal service, and pricing will differ primarily based on want. Prospects can anticipate value to vary between that of conventional intermodal service and over-the-road service. Based mostly on evaluation of J.B. Hunt 360°® transactions and annual bid exercise, J.B. Hunt estimates that as many as 7 to 11 million a great deal of freight assist conversion from over-the-road truck service to intermodal service. Changing over-the-road freeway freight to rail intermodal is probably the most broadly accessible floor transportation resolution for chopping carbon emissions, decreasing a cargo’s carbon footprint by a median of 60 p.c in comparison with over-the-road truck transportation.
34 Years of Intermodal Collaboration
The identify of the groundbreaking service is a nod to J.B. Hunt and BNSF’s (then Santa Fe Railway) historic effort to convey rail and trucking collectively right into a streamlined service. In 1989, the 2 launched the {industry}’s first trendy intermodal transportation resolution – additionally named Quantum – with 150 trailers. The expansion was explosive, resulting in extra improvements: double stacking containers, creating company-owned chassis and including onsite terminals and categorical gates.
Current efforts by J.B. Hunt and BNSF to enhance intermodal service effectivity helped lay the groundwork for Quantum. In 2022, the 2 launched a joint initiative to enhance capability within the intermodal market whereas additionally assembly the increasing wants of shoppers. This included plans from J.B. Hunt to develop intermodal capability to as many as 150,000 containers within the subsequent few years. BNSF dedicated to creating further capability at present intermodal amenities within the close to time period and in addition their intention to construct a brand new state-of-the-art grasp deliberate rail facility in Southern California, the Barstow Worldwide Gateway, serving the Southern California ports. Collectively, their efforts helped handle container velocity and repair effectivity throughout a unstable market.
J.B. Hunt and BNSF introduced the brand new service throughout a keynote on the FreightWaves F3: Way forward for Freight Pageant in Chattanooga, Tennessee. In September, J.B. Hunt bought the brokerage operations of BNSF Logistics, an affiliate of BNSF Railway Firm.
About J.B. Hunt
J.B. Hunt Transport Companies Inc. is on a mission to create probably the most environment friendly transportation community in North America. The corporate’s industry-leading options and mode-neutral method generate worth for purchasers by eliminating waste, decreasing prices and enhancing provide chain visibility. Powered by one of many largest company-owned fleets within the nation with greater than 163,000 items of trailing gear and practically a million accessible vans by way of its J.B. Hunt 360°® digital freight market, J.B. Hunt can meet the distinctive transport wants of any enterprise, from first mile to ultimate supply, and each cargo in-between. By means of disciplined investments in its individuals, expertise and capability, J.B. Hunt is delivering distinctive worth and repair that allow long-term development for the corporate and its stakeholders.
J.B. Hunt Transport Companies Inc. is a Fortune 500 firm, an S&P 500 firm and a element of the Dow Jones Transportation Common. Its inventory trades on NASDAQ underneath the ticker image JBHT. J.B. Hunt Transport Inc. is a completely owned subsidiary of JBHT. The corporate’s providers embrace intermodal, devoted, refrigerated, truckload, less-than-truckload, flatbed, single supply, final mile, transload and extra. For extra data, go to www.jbhunt.com.
About BNSF Railway
BNSF Railway is one in all North America’s main freight transportation corporations. BNSF operates roughly 32,500 route miles of observe in 28 states and three Canadian provinces. BNSF is among the prime transporters of client items, grain and agricultural merchandise, low-sulfur coal, and industrial items resembling petroleum, chemical substances, housing supplies, meals, and drinks. BNSF’s shipments assist feed, dress, provide, and energy American properties and companies day-after-day. BNSF and its staff have developed one of the crucial technologically superior, and environment friendly railroads within the {industry}. We work repeatedly to enhance the worth of the security, service, vitality, and environmental advantages we offer to our clients and the communities we serve. You’ll be able to be taught extra about BNSF at www.BNSF.com.
