J.B. Hunt and project44 team up for advanced visibility integration

Chicago-based project44, a technology services provider offering standardized, secure Web service API (application programming interfaces) integrations enabling 3PLs and shippers to connect with carriers in real time, and Lowell, Ark.-based trucking and intermodal services bellwether J.B. Hunt Transport Services announced today they are teaming up for a technology collaboration.

Through this collaboration, J.B. Hunt will integrate project44’s advanced visibility platform into J.B. Hunt 360, its proprietary marketplace, which connects shippers and carriers using data to match freight with capacity, pairing the right load with the right carrier to create efficiency and cost savings. This integration, the companies said, will provide shippers with real-time and seamless access to shipment information regardless of carrier and also remove the need for multiple carrier data integrations.

“The challenges our customers are facing today require greater visibility into their transportation network,” said Shelley Simpson, executive vice president and chief commercial officer of J.B. Hunt, in a statement. “By integrating project44 technology within J.B. Hunt 360, customers can view and manage multi-carrier freight from a single platform, helping them streamline operations and meet their supply chain goals.”

J.B. Hunt officials said this is a key collaboration as it is keenly focused on expanding its technology platforms capabilities and services. That was made clear in 2017, when it announced a five-year, $500 million investment focused on creating disruptive technology and enhancing operating systems and infrastructure, as well as to augment the company’s ability to “see deeper” within the supply chain, add new automation capabilities, and attract top talent in technology, engineering, data science, and logistics.

Tommy Barnes, project44 president, told LM that J.B. Hunt is committed to developing innovative solutions that address its customers evolving digital supply chain needs.

“Their collaboration with project44 is designed to meet these needs, providing their shippers and third-party logistics providers with the advanced visibility they need to reduce costs, improve shipping performance and deliver exceptional service to their customers,” he said. “J.B. Hunt and project44 have been discussing this collaboration since we first started working together earlier this year.” 

As for the advanced visibility offering project44 provides J.B. Hunt with this integration, Barnes said that this collaboration will provide J.B. Hunt’s customers with not just visibility, but advanced visibility, noting that advanced visibility delivers more accurate and predictive shipment tracking across more modes and geographies.

“Advanced visibility also goes beyond tracking, with end-to-end visibility from the start of the shipping process to delivery (and beyond), as well as automation of key transportation processes,” Barnes said.

What’s more, the project44 executive added that this advanced visibility will enable shippers and third-party logistics providers working with J.B. Hunt to increase customer service and satisfaction with proactive updates on ETAs and delivery exceptions.

“It will also allow them to improve their operational efficiency by shortening waiting times and fines, improving utilization of their warehouse and yard resources and reducing their need for safety stock,” he said. “Advanced visibility can also enable them to create backhauls with improved alignment of load timing.  To ensure fast and frictionless onboarding for J.B Hunt’s growing customer base, project44 has prebuilt connections to thousands of global multimodal carriers and ELD/telematics devices. This one-to-many model delivers access to high-quality data in real time and provides users with deep insights.

Since J.B. Hunt started collaborating with project44, Barnes said project44 has been focused on exploring new and innovative ways the companies can work together to help J.B. Hunt further improve the efficiency of its North American transportation network.

“This collaboration represents one of the first fruits of this effort,” he said.