Solution utilizes Kodiak hub-to-hub autonomous
delivery model with J.B. Hunt 360box network, Bridgestone tires to
maximize efficiency
J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc. (NASDAQ: JBHT), one of the
largest supply chain solutions providers in North America,
Bridgestone Americas (Bridgestone), a global leader in premium
tires and sustainable mobility solutions, and Kodiak Robotics,
Inc., a leading autonomous trucking company, today celebrated a
successful ongoing weekly delivery collaboration that has surpassed
50,000 autonomous long-haul trucking miles, incorporating Kodiak
autonomous trucks to ship Bridgestone passenger car tires between
South Carolina and Dallas. Since launching in January, the
autonomous route has been driven with no accidents and achieved
100% on-time pick-up and delivery, and the companies have expanded
the collaboration to include additional weekly deliveries along the
route.
This press release features multimedia. View
the full release here:
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240807558255/en/
J.B. Hunt, Bridgestone and Kodiak
celebrated a successful ongoing weekly delivery collaboration that
has surpassed 50,000 autonomous long-haul trucking miles,
incorporating Kodiak autonomous trucks to ship Bridgestone
passenger car tires between South Carolina and Dallas. (Photo:
Business Wire)
Utilizing Kodiak’s hub-to-hub autonomous delivery model, the
long-haul stretch of the route from Atlanta to Dallas -
approximately 750 miles and 16 hours - is completed using Kodiak
autonomous driving technology, which is fitted with Bridgestone
M719 drive tires and R213 steer tires. J.B. Hunt transports the
trailers to and from Bridgestone facilities and Kodiak hubs. The
companies leverage J.B. Hunt 360box®, a fluid network of
14,000-plus company trailers, to secure capacity for the return
trip from Dallas, preventing empty miles and improving route
efficiency.
“Working closely with Kodiak and Bridgestone, we were able to
deliver a complementary solution that integrates autonomous
technology with day-to-day operations while also solving backhaul
challenges,” said Nick Hobbs, chief operating officer and president
of contract services at J.B. Hunt. “It’s a great example of how our
mode-neutral approach can leverage multiple service offerings to
produce efficient, value-driven solutions unique to our customers’
needs.”
Autonomy and Efficiency: A Round-Trip
Solution
The collaboration provides a round-trip solution for delivering
Bridgestone passenger car tires and minimizing empty miles for
efficiency:
- J.B. Hunt moves the load from Bridgestone’s Aiken Passenger
Tire plant in Graniteville, SC to Kodiak’s Atlanta-area autonomous
truckport in Villa Rica, Georgia.
- Kodiak autonomous trucks complete the long-haul stretch of the
route from Atlanta to Kodiak’s Lancaster, Texas facility. A
two-person-team of Kodiak safety drivers oversee the seamless and
continuous operation of the autonomous truck.
- J.B. Hunt transports the load approximately 50 miles from
Lancaster to Bridgestone’s Roanoke distribution center.
- For the trip from Dallas to Atlanta, J.B. Hunt leverages its
J.B. Hunt 360box program to identify additional customers with live
and drop freight needs along that route. Kodiak completes the
delivery autonomously to Atlanta, and then J.B. Hunt transports the
load to its next destination.
“As part of our evolution into a global leader in sustainable
mobility solutions, Bridgestone joined forces with Kodiak and J.B.
Hunt to prove that autonomous long-haul shipping is more than just
a daydream; it’s happening right now,” said Brad Blizzard, Vice
President, Logistics Operations and Product Delivery, Bridgestone.
“We are excited to be expanding our routes, growing this
partnership, and investing in the mobility of the future.”
“Our ability to build an autonomous delivery program with J.B.
Hunt, one of America’s best-respected and most innovative trucking
fleets, and Bridgestone, a longstanding Kodiak investor and a
leader in transportation technology, makes this a perfect
collaboration,” said Don Burnette, Founder & CEO, Kodiak.
“Demonstrating the efficacy of our middle mile model and improving
operational efficiencies for our customers sets us all on a course
for rapid and sustainable growth.”
Bridgestone announced an investment in and partnership with
Kodiak in June 2021. As part of the partnership, Bridgestone has
integrated its smart-sensing tire technologies into Kodiak’s
autonomous trucks and have integrated smart tire technologies to
further enhance vehicle intelligence for a safer, more efficient,
and more sustainable mobility future. Bridgestone is also Kodiak’s
exclusive tire supplier.
Additionally, J.B. Hunt provides Bridgestone, a Dedicated
Contract Services® customer, with pickup and delivery services for
multiple customer locations throughout the country.
About J.B. Hunt
J.B. Hunt’s vision is to create the most efficient
transportation network in North America. The company’s
industry-leading solutions and mode-neutral approach generate value
for customers by eliminating waste, reducing costs and enhancing
supply chain visibility. Powered by one of the largest
company-owned fleets in the country and third-party capacity
through its J.B. Hunt 360°® digital freight marketplace, J.B. Hunt
can meet the unique shipping needs of any business, from first mile
to final delivery, and every shipment in-between. Through
disciplined investments in its people, technology and capacity,
J.B. Hunt is delivering exceptional value and service that enable
long-term growth for the company and its stakeholders.
J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc. is a Fortune 500 company, an
S&P 500 company and a component of the Dow Jones Transportation
Average. Its stock trades on NASDAQ under the ticker symbol JBHT.
J.B. Hunt Transport Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of JBHT. The
company’s services include intermodal, dedicated, refrigerated,
truckload, less-than-truckload, flatbed, single source, last mile,
transload and more. For more information, visit www.jbhunt.com.
About Bridgestone Americas, Inc.
Bridgestone Americas, Inc. is the U.S.-based subsidiary of
Bridgestone Corporation, a global leader in tires and rubber,
building on its expertise to provide solutions for safe and
sustainable mobility. Headquartered in Nashville, Tenn.,
Bridgestone Americas employs more than 45,000 people across its
worldwide operations. Bridgestone offers a diverse product
portfolio of premium tires and advanced solutions backed by
innovative technologies, improving the way people around the world
move, live, work and play.
About Kodiak Robotics, Inc.
Kodiak Robotics, Inc. was founded in 2018 and has become the
trusted world leader in autonomous ground transportation committed
to a safer and more efficient future for all. The company is
developing an industry-leading artificial intelligence (AI) powered
technology stack purpose-built for driverless military and
long-haul trucking applications. Kodiak’s unique modular hardware
approach integrates sensors into a streamlined sensor-pod structure
that optimizes for perception, scalability, and maintainability.
The company delivers freight daily for its customers across the
South, using its autonomous technology. Kodiak also leverages its
commercial self-driving software to develop, test and deploy
autonomous capabilities for the U.S. Department of Defense. Learn
more about Kodiak on the web at kodiak.ai, and on LinkedIn and
Twitter. You can find the company press kit HERE.
View source
version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240807558255/en/
J.B. Hunt Media Contacts Brittnee Davie Vice President –
Marketing press@jbhunt.com Bridgestone Americas Media
Contacts Zac Ellis Communications Manager, Commercial Product
& Technology 240-429-9861 ellisrobert@bfusa.com Kodiak Media
Contacts Daniel Goff Director of External Affairs +1
646-515-3933 dan@kodiak.ai Kylee Keskerian PR Consultant +1
419-822-6417 kylee@futuristacommunications.com
J B Hunt Transport Servi... (NASDAQ:JBHT)
Historical Stock Chart
From Aug 2024 to Sep 2024
J B Hunt Transport Servi... (NASDAQ:JBHT)
Historical Stock Chart
From Sep 2023 to Sep 2024
