J.B. Hunt and BNSF launch service that could move millions of loads from OTR to intermodal
J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc announced a new intermodal service in partnership with BNSF meant to service highway freight customers.
The service announced on November 7 is called “Quantum” and it is described as a “breakthrough intermodal service that accommodates the service-sensitive highway freight needs of customer supply chains.”
Quantum “provides the consistency, agility and speed needed to transport service-sensitive highway freight using rail,” according to a November 7 news release from the companies.
Quantum is based in the new Intermodal Innovation Center at BNSF headquarters in Fort Worth, Texas.
The companies promise 95 percent on-time deliveries “approximately a day faster than traditional intermodal service.”
As many as 7 to 11 million loads of freight support conversion from over-the-road truck service to intermodal service, according to J.B. Hunt.
“Quantum allows customers with service-sensitive freight to benefit from the cost savings of intermodal, while reducing their carbon footprint and maintaining the level of service and consistency needed in their supply chains,” said Darren Field, president of intermodal at J.B. Hunt. “Our joint service and capacity are unmatched. When combined with J.B. Hunt’s broad range of flexible solutions, there’s no provider in the industry who can match Quantum’s ability to move your most important freight.”
“We are excited to bring this innovative vision to life by creating Quantum with J.B. Hunt,” said Tom Williams, group vice president of consumer products at BNSF. “Built on a long-standing strategic partnership foundation and decades of intermodal capacity expansion investments, Quantum will provide a faster and more consistent intermodal solution to customers. Our new Intermodal Innovation Center will foster continued collaboration between our companies to continue evolving with our customers’ supply chain needs and create the intermodal solution of the future.”