J.B. Hunt Celebrates 60th Anniversary
J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc. (NASDAQ: JBHT), one of the largest supply chain solutions providers in North America, marked its 60th anniversary today. J.B. Hunt executive leaders held a virtual event to reflect on the company’s rich history and discuss what’s on the horizon for the industry leader.
“We're thrilled to get to celebrate this day,” said John Roberts, president and CEO at J.B. Hunt. “We have a mindset and a courage level that will allow us to continue to explore and innovate - and fail fast and fail forward - and be very successful also.”
Nick Hobbs, chief operating officer and executive vice president of contract services at J.B. Hunt, added, “There's a tremendous runway out there, and we just look to take advantage because our people are adaptable, smart, and hard working. They put a good plan together. Just like Mr. Hunt, we have to adjust from time to time, but we make an effort and get through it.”
Event attendees were treated to a special message from company co-founder Johnelle Hunt expressing gratitude for continuing the vision of her late husband, Johnnie Bryan Hunt. The two founded the company in 1961 as a rice hull operation near Little Rock, Arkansas. Ever the entrepreneur, Mr. Hunt ventured into the trucking business in 1969 by purchasing five trucks and seven trailers and relocated to Northwest Arkansas. Over the next five decades, J.B. Hunt would continually transform how freight is moved.
“There's nothing more powerful than seeing that scroll. Anytime somebody sees that they see our drivers, they see our commitment,” said Shelley Simpson, chief commercial officer and executive vice president of people and human resources at J.B. Hunt. “Our customers are constantly saying, ‘can you do more?’ It reminds me of what Mr. Hunt said – is it big yet? Our customers are saying that to us as well and that’s exciting.”
To commemorate the milestone, J.B. Hunt has added custom-wrapped tractors to its fleet that will be driven by some of the company’s most-tenured drivers. The virtual event closed with a preview of a multi-part video series that will focus on the key components behind the company’s success - thinking big and taking smart risks, building a talented workforce, and providing stellar customer service. The series and additional content exploring these themes will be shared throughout the remainder of the year on the 60th Anniversary page of the company’s website.
In 1990, J.B. Hunt made an unprecedented alignment that pioneered modern intermodal transportation. J.B. Hunt’s Intermodal container count is expected to surpass 100,000 this week, delivering on a capital investment announcement earlier this year. The company operates one of the largest company-owned fleets in North America, with more than 18,500 tractors and 36,000 trailers in addition to intermodal containers.
Driven by a mission to create the most efficient transportation network in North America, J.B. Hunt has grown to a near $10 billion company supporting supply chain needs regardless of size, mode, or location. Complementing its asset-based services, the company’s technology platform J.B. Hunt 360°® is an industry leader in digital freight matching. In 2020, more than 1.2 million loads were processed through J.B. Hunt 360, and transactions executed through the marketplace for J.B. Hunt 360 exceeded $1.4 billion.
About J.B. Hunt
J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc., an S&P 500 company, provides innovative supply chain solutions for a variety of customers throughout North America. Utilizing an integrated, multimodal approach, the company applies technology-driven methods to create the best solution for each customer, adding efficiency, flexibility, and value to their operations. J.B. Hunt services include intermodal, dedicated, refrigerated, truckload, less-than- truckload, flatbed, single source, final mile, and more. J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc. stock trades on NASDAQ under the ticker symbol JBHT and is a component of the Dow Jones Transportation Average. J.B. Hunt Transport, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of JBHT. For more information, visit www.jbhunt.com.