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.
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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:
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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.
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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.
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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
[email protected]
Bridgestone Americas Media Contacts
Zac Ellis
Communications Manager, Commercial Product & Technology
240-429-9861
[email protected]
Kodiak Media Contacts
Daniel Goff
Director of External Affairs
+1 646-515-3933
[email protected]
Kylee Keskerian
PR Consultant
+1 419-822-6417
[email protected]
Source: J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc.
