J.B. Hunt introduces new transload service in Southern California

J.B. Hunt Transport Inc., a supply chain services subsidiary of Lowell, Ark.-based trucking and intermodal services bellwether J.B. Hunt recently announced its plans to open up the company’s first transload service facility, which will support international cargo along the West Coast as well as streamline its inland transportation for customers.

Company officials said that this facility, which it said is strategically located, will support the Los Angeles and Long Beach area, with various services, including port drayage and transloading, coupled with “quick access” to both outbound rail and highway transport, and also work in tandem with its recently rolled out plan to help shippers expedite overseas freight delivery in a long-term multi-vessel service agreement.

What’s more, J.B. Hunt Transport said that, in a moved geared towards streamlining port drayage, it will roll out a new company fleet focused on transporting inbound ocean freight from the port to the new facility, minimizing demurrage and per diem costs and accelerating the turn time to prepare freight for domestic transport. And it added that through this new fleet, cargo containers will be loaded directly onto company-owned marine chassis and arrive at the J.B. Hunt facility to be transloaded into domestic trailing equipment supported by its company fleet. It also noted that by eliminating the inefficiencies created with handoffs between multiple providers, customers will benefit from what it termed a holistic solution.

“The increase in import activity over recent years has created a bottleneck at the port, resulting in inefficient delays and rising costs,” said Shelley Simpson, chief commercial officer and executive vice president of people and human resources at J.B. Hunt, in a statement. “We are providing customers with a complete solution that not only alleviates those challenges, it can accelerate their ability to meet domestic demand by offering a seamless port, transload, and domestic outbound move.”

J.B. Hunt President of Intermodal Darren Field told LM that a major driver for this new transload service goes is tied to the rapid growth of international shipping in recent years, which, in turn, has resulted in several efficiency challenges that impair J.B. Hunt’s customers’ freight originating overseas to be out for delivery in the U.S.   

As for the main benefits these offerings will provide for shippers, Field said that this new facility and service will help customers increase container performance and visibility by: 

• accelerating the turn time to prepare cargo freight for domestic transport through a J.B. Hunt-managed service; 
• ensuring containers are utilized properly, improving fluidity and reducing costs associated with delays; and
• providing options with domestic intermodal and interior-point intermodal (IPI) services when uncertainties remain pervasive

“Additionally, J.B. Hunt’s new transload facility and service builds on the company’s commitment to developing creative solutions to drive efficiency in its customers’ supply chain,” he added.

J.B. Hunt’s new transloading facility is located in close proximity to US Highway 5 and Interstate 710, and it includes a 91,000-square-foot warehouse and eight acres of parking for up to 300 containers. The company said this facility will provide shippers with quick, preferred access to J.B. Hunt’s 53’ intermodal container fleet and highway services, including the company’s J.B. Hunt360box drop-and-hook trailer program.

J.B. Hunt opened its first transload service in November 202, with a focus on assisting shippers in the New York metro area with port drayage, transloading and inland linehaul services.