J.B. Hunt and BNSF launch premium intermodal service

J.B. Hunt Transport Companies Inc. and BNSF Railway right this moment launched a premium intermodal service, saying it’s going to accommodate its clients’ “service-sensitive freeway freight wants” by offering 95% on-time supply service roughly a day sooner than conventional intermodal service.

They’ll obtain that by aligning forecasts for dray, container, and rail capability with buyer wants, and incorporating precedence drayage and rail motion to offer sooner, extra constant transits, the companions mentioned.

The brand new “Quantum” service includes each J.B. Hunt and BNSF operators housed collectively at a brand new Intermodal Innovation Middle at BNSF headquarters in Fort Value, Texas. That staff will combine their mixed workflow at each step of the intermodal transport course of – from planning to execution and oversight to exception administration.

“Quantum offers the distinctive intermodal service wanted to persistently meet the calls for of probably the most complicated freight,” Spencer Frazier, government vice chairman of promoting and gross sales at J.B. Hunt, mentioned in a launch. “Its options are versatile to handle provide chain challenges in actual time. Clients have entry to a number of modes for surprising issues similar to potential delays, quantity surges or manufacturing points.”

The Quantum staff offers 24/7 oversight of each Quantum load and may shortly detect and resolve points earlier than they influence ultimate supply. Service and know-how integration permit the Quantum staff to establish variability and suggest an alternate resolution amongst customary intermodal, expedited intermodal, and over-the-road.

As a premium service, Quantum load pricing will differ based mostly on want, however clients can anticipate price to vary between that of conventional intermodal service and over-the-road service, the businesses mentioned.

The launch follows years of integration between the 2 corporations, together with a 2022 joint initiative to enhance capability within the intermodal market whereas additionally assembly the increasing wants of consumers. And two months in the past, J.B. Hunt acquired BNSF’s brokerage operations.