3 Challenges J.B. Hunt Has Overcome in Private Fleet Conversions
Private fleet owners may wonder how converting their fleet could benefit or add value to their business – what could an outside team solve for my transportation needs that I’m not solving myself? At J.B. Hunt, transportation is our expertise. Fleet conversion and management are what our Dedicated Contract Services® teams do best, and we can handle the challenges of running a fleet so you can focus on your core business.
We’ve seen many challenges in our time as a fleet management company. Three big challenges we’ve been able to overcome during private fleet conversions are:
- Supplying specialized equipment
- Driver hiring and training
- Fleet optimization
Through organized fleet conversion and management practices, we can take on challenges to deliver optimized supply chain solutions for our dedicated customers.
Supplying Specialized Equipment
We work with a variety of dedicated trucking customers that require specialized equipment to accomplish their transportation goals. Our dedicated fleet of tractors, trailers and other assets totals over 42,000 units. Each customer receives a specially customized approach for their business – this helps us to achieve maximum value for customers during the transition from a private fleet to a managed fleet.
For example, we’ve solved for the complex transportation needs of our customer Simmons Foods by building them a custom fleet that supports their hatcheries and other live operations. We utilize an array of specialized equipment for the Simmons fleet – supplying them with bulk tankers, reclaim feed trailers and live haul flatbed trailers, to name a few. J.B. Hunt’s size, access and reach grant us the ability to source specialized equipment for ag customers like Simmons, food service accounts and many other account types covering a range of industries.
Driver Hiring and Training
The process of finding, hiring and training drivers can be time-consuming and tedious, especially while trying to run the rest of your operations simultaneously. For J.B. Hunt, hiring truck drivers is one of our areas of expertise. We understand the time and care it takes to find, hire and train qualified drivers.
A well-known wholesale hardware and industrial supplies distributor, Bostwick-Braun, found their private fleet in peril when driver shortages began negatively affecting their ability to make timely deliveries to customers. When Bostwick-Braun decided to convert their private fleet with our Dedicated Contract Services teams, they gained access to our robust driver hiring force and best-in-class onboarding practices. Part of our core business is our ability to find, hire and train the best drivers for each job – all to provide top-notch services for our customers.
Fleet Optimization
Neglecting the optimization of or incorrectly optimizing your fleet can bring down overall productivity and leave you spending more on operating costs. Our Dedicated Contract Services teams employ our technology and engineering expertise to provide customers with comprehensive optimization solutions.
When U.S. Cold Storage (USCS), a refrigerated warehousing logistics provider, started experiencing new growth without the capacity to support it, they knew it was time to look for a dedicated provider to help them with fleet management. We met with USCS at their facilities to understand their needs and used detailed analytics to optimize their fleet to improve efficiency and service. USCS is just one example of the improvements our fleet optimization tactics can provide – we can engineer solutions that fit a wide range of transportation programs.
Solving Transportation Challenges
Don’t let your transportation program hinder your core competencies. The professionals at J.B. Hunt are ready to solve challenges in private fleet conversion to provide you with a top-notch dedicated trucking program that not only fits your operations but adds value. We focus on your fleet so that you can focus on your business.
Connect with one of our Dedicated Contract Services team members to learn more about the advantages of outsourcing your private fleet and start building customized solutions today!
dedicatedsales@jbhunt.com| (800) 723-3101 | jbhunt.com/dedicated