Biz Tech Services
Biz Tech Services

‘Delivering the right product to the right place at the right time’ is the canon of an ideal supply chain. While the concept may sound simplistic, the factors in play are far more complex than what’s on the surface. Information is essential, and the level of accuracy, timing, and depth has a big impact on decision-making. Shippers and carriers need real-time visibility and enhanced analytics to understand the full spectrum of their operations. J.B. Hunt is creating a technology solution that addresses the need for efficiency, cost savings, and visibility across the supply chain.
J.B. Hunt 360°®–the company’s comprehensive transportation technology platform–has grown to incorporate applications and services that, through machine learning and artificial intelligence, apply insightful data to a customer’s supply chain operations. J.B. Hunt 360 provides shippers and carriers a marketplace for freight matching, unprecedented visibility into their operations within the supply chain, and features that streamline day-to-day efforts.

Through this marketplace, J.B. Hunt customers can enhance operations by matching their loads with the right carrier, connecting freight with available capacity.

“It’s important to note that building and maintaining this marketplace relies on attracting and retaining carriers within the platform,” says Stuart Scott, executive vice president and chief information officer at J.B. Hunt. “For carriers, we must deliver a great experience. The carrier application for J.B. Hunt 360 makes it fast, easy, and convenient for them to book the freight they want, reducing time spent on manual processes and giving them more time to drive.”

Phone calls between carriers and brokers to negotiate load prices have been the traditional model of freight brokerage for decades. J.B. Hunt 360 works behind the scenes to match a carrier’s lane preferences with available loads, then provides options to book instantly or place an offer–without ever making a phone call. Carriers using the platform can qualify for free quick pay terms–reducing payment times to just two business days and saving money by eliminating processing fees.

We address the growing need for efficiency, cost savings, and visibility across the supply chain with J.B. Hunt 360

Because of their vast transportation needs, many shippers rely on multiple carriers to move freight. This can cause challenges with visibility, since many transportation technology platforms are one-dimensional and only support freight management for a single carrier. J.B. Hunt 360 will soon allow shippers to view and manage shipments across their carriers, not just J.B. Hunt. By leveraging predictive delivery capabilities and responsive routing technology, customers will be able to see their supply chain in real time and take action before delays occur.

“The more shippers and carriers use J.B. Hunt 360, the more the platform can do for them,” adds Scott. “The platform learns the user’s unique patterns and behaviors. The more J.B. Hunt 360 knows, the more it can help them improve their supply chain execution.”

Utilizing machine learning and artificial intelligence, J.B. Hunt 360 applies insightful data today-to-day operations. For example, based on a customer’s shipping patterns over time, J.B. Hunt 360 will be able to make route recommendations for better timing, provide mode alternatives for cost savings, and give predictive delivery updates–even taking into account weather and real-time traffic patterns.

“Our expertise and infrastructure make us a trusted brand, and we’re constantly investing in new technology to develop smarter solutions,” asserts Scott.

There is no doubt that new technologies like cloud, machine learning, and artificial intelligence are driving the supply chain industry and will continue to do so in the future. In line with this mission, J.B. Hunt announced a five-year, $500 million investment in 2017 dedicated to creating disruptive technology and enhancing its operating systems and infrastructure. The investment will help advance their ability to see deeper within the supply chain, add new automation capabilities, and draw top talent in technology, engineering, data science, and logistics.