J.B. Hunt, Bridgestone and Kodiak Surpass 50,000 Autonomous Long-Haul Trucking Miles In Delivery Collaboration

Rhea-AI Summary

J.B. Hunt Transport Services (NASDAQ: JBHT), Bridgestone Americas, and Kodiak Robotics have successfully completed over 50,000 autonomous long-haul trucking miles in their ongoing weekly delivery collaboration. The partnership, launched in January, involves shipping Bridgestone passenger car tires between South Carolina and Dallas using Kodiak's autonomous trucks.

Key highlights include:

• 100% on-time pick-up and delivery with no accidents
• Expanded to include additional weekly deliveries
• Utilizes Kodiak's hub-to-hub autonomous delivery model
• Leverages J.B. Hunt 360box® for return trip capacity
• Integrates Bridgestone's smart-sensing tire technologies

This collaboration demonstrates the viability of autonomous long-haul shipping and improves operational efficiencies for all parties involved.

Positive

• Successful completion of over 50,000 autonomous long-haul trucking miles
• 100% on-time pick-up and delivery performance
• No accidents reported during the autonomous operations
• Expansion of the collaboration to include additional weekly deliveries
• Improved route efficiency by preventing empty miles using J.B. Hunt 360box®

Negative

• None.

Insights

Technology Analyst

The collaboration between J.B. Hunt, Bridgestone and Kodiak marks a significant milestone in autonomous trucking. Surpassing 50,000 miles with 100% on-time performance and zero accidents demonstrates the viability of autonomous long-haul shipping. This success could accelerate the adoption of autonomous trucking technology, potentially disrupting the $800 billion U.S. trucking industry.

The integration of Kodiak's autonomous driving technology with Bridgestone's smart-sensing tires showcases how synergies between tech and traditional automotive companies can drive innovation. This could lead to increased investment in autonomous vehicle technologies and partnerships between tech startups and established industry players.

Logistics Expert

The collaboration's success in creating a round-trip solution addresses a critical challenge in the trucking industry: empty miles. By leveraging J.B. Hunt's 360box network to secure return trip loads, the partnership demonstrates how autonomous technology can be integrated into existing logistics networks to improve operational efficiency.

This model could set a new standard for hub-to-hub autonomous operations, potentially reducing long-haul trucking costs and alleviating driver shortage issues. The 100% on-time performance also suggests that autonomous trucking could enhance supply chain reliability, a important factor for just-in-time manufacturing and retail operations.

Financial Analyst

While specific financial figures aren't provided, the success of this collaboration could have significant implications for the companies involved. For J.B. Hunt (NASDAQ: JBHT), early adoption of autonomous technology could lead to cost savings and competitive advantages in the long term. Bridgestone's investment in Kodiak and integration of smart tire technologies positions it well in the evolving autonomous vehicle market.

Investors should monitor how this partnership affects J.B. Hunt's operational efficiency and market share. For Bridgestone, the exclusive tire supplier agreement with Kodiak could drive growth in its smart tire segment. As autonomous trucking scales, early movers like these companies may see increased valuations and market opportunities.

Solution utilizes Kodiak hub-to-hub autonomous delivery model with J.B. Hunt 360box network, Bridgestone tires to maximize efficiency

LOWELL, Ark., NASHVILLE, Tenn. & MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- 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.

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

Source: J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc.

FAQ

How many autonomous long-haul trucking miles has the J.B. Hunt (JBHT), Bridgestone, and Kodiak collaboration completed?

The collaboration has successfully completed over 50,000 autonomous long-haul trucking miles.

What is the route for the autonomous trucking collaboration between J.B. Hunt (JBHT), Bridgestone, and Kodiak?

The autonomous route runs between South Carolina and Dallas, with the long-haul stretch from Atlanta to Dallas covering approximately 750 miles.

When did J.B. Hunt (JBHT) launch its autonomous trucking collaboration with Bridgestone and Kodiak?

The autonomous trucking collaboration was launched in January 2024.

What is the on-time performance of the J.B. Hunt (JBHT), Bridgestone, and Kodiak autonomous trucking collaboration?

The collaboration has achieved 100% on-time pick-up and delivery performance.