Dedicated Transportation Solutions Focused on Complexity
Managing dedicated deliveries is complex and takes a lot of care. Among the top considerations in this field are:
- Finding reliable carriers to complete deliveries
- The equipment used
- Training that drivers must undergo
- The routings and operations of the deliveries themselves
Reliable carriers can be hard to find. Dedicated transportation and all its various aspects are an overwhelming amount to balance while also trying to focus on the well-being of your business. When regional U.S. chain restaurant Chicken Express®, which has more than 250 locations in the south-central part of the country, entrusted their dedicated deliveries to J.B. Hunt Dedicated Contract Services®, they did it with confidence because J.B. Hunt offers transportation solutions specially tailored to their needs.
Premier Delivery Mechanisms Create Added Value
Before Chicken Express began working with J.B. Hunt Dedicated, they utilized traditional tri-temp trailers with side access doors to each of the dry, frozen and refrigerated freight areas. Because the only access to the temperature zones is on the side of the trailer, drivers must use a ramp and dolly to pick, pack and unload each temperature zone one at a time. This method is laborious and time-consuming.
J.B. Hunt Dedicated wanted to show Chicken Express a better way to handle their dry, frozen and refrigerated freight. We introduced them to our reefer trucks with center-divide trailers. The center-divide trailer includes movable partitions and an added liftgate. The partitions in the trailer make it possible to change the size of the frozen and refrigerated areas, with the stationary dry area located at the very back. These partitions and the liftgate allow drivers to use a pallet jack and bulk load pallets rather than hand stacking products one by one.
Using these reefer trucks with partition trailers opens the opportunity to create customizable pallets for each store. So, instead of having one product unloaded at a time, drivers can put all the products that one location needs onto a pallet and unload them all in one trip, saving on time and labor. This method allows for more stops throughout the day and brings driver productivity up, which results in added value to your business and less driver burnout.
A Reliable Carrier for Dedicated Services with Exceptional Drivers
Chicken Express knows that the drivers with J.B. Hunt Dedicated have been well-trained and stay up to date on all aspects of safe product handling. Because along with providing our drivers with the best equipment possible, we invest in special training for company drivers specific to dedicated delivery services. Currently, we maintain and comply with the following certifications and standards related to the safe handling of products in dedicated delivery:
- Certified Cold Carrier from Cold Chain Alliance
- Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA)
- PHT from U.S. Poultry & Egg
- ServSafe® Certified
- HACCP
- OSHA
The drivers that J.B. Hunt Dedicated sends to Chicken Express – along with the drivers we send to all our dedicated customers – are hand-selected to drive for specific accounts. We have access to a large pool of professional drivers to work specifically on dedicated accounts. This wealth of drivers means J.B. Hunt can place them on routes that they prefer and where they will excel. We secure quality drivers, so that we can be confident that the best driver for the job is always the one at your door.
Offering Unique Route Optimization Solutions
Like most businesses, Chicken Express has its focus set on expanding and opening new stores. Before outsourcing their fleet with J.B. Hunt Dedicated, one of their primary issues was the logistical concerns involved in opening new locations. Creating and rebuilding delivery routes takes a lot of effort but working with J.B. Hunt has taken the stresses of route planning away from Chicken Express to give them back time to focus on opening new stores.
J.B. Hunt Engineering and Account Management teams stay on top of new location openings and optimize routes to create the most efficient delivery service for all your business's locations. We have invested in the technology in our engineering, allowing us to rebuild routes as needed. For dedicated customers like Chicken Express, this creates ease in fleet management.
Take Back the Time You Were Spending on Transportation
J.B. Hunt Dedicated provided complex transportation solutions to Chicken Express and revolutionized the way they handle their dry, frozen and refrigerated freight. Our dedicated services can be tailored to any complex business or industry. We're here to add value to your business with our dedicated contract services - contact us for a consultation!