(BNSF and J.B. Hunt issued the following on February 5, 2009.)
FORT WORTH, Texas — Twenty years ago today, J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc. and BNSF predecessor The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Company loaded a Hunt trailer onto a railcar and ushered in the modern age of intermodal freight transport.
Today, intermodal is one of the most efficient, economic and environmentally friendly ways to move goods. However, 20 years ago, trucks and trains were more competitors than partners. All that changed in 1989 when Santa Fe and J.B. Hunt Transport came together in a move that would lead the industry in innovation.
This joint effort started with 150 trailers and five railcars moving freight between Chicago and California. Today, BNSF and J.B. Hunt provide transportation solutions throughout North America. In 2008, more than 700,000 shipments were moved through this strategic transportation alliance.
“When the partnership started no one could have imagined the effect it would have on the industry,” said Steve Branscum, BNSF vice president, Consumer Products. “Once thought of as experimental, today intermodal offers shippers innovative, efficient and value-added services that allow them to effectively compete both domestically and worldwide.”
“Together, J.B. Hunt and BNSF offer the industry’s most efficient and reliable freight transportation solution,” said Paul Bergant, president, J.B. Hunt Intermodal. “The partnership continues to allow us to offer our customers an array of solutions that consistently meet their unique shipping needs.
“The future of intermodal and the BNSF-J.B. Hunt partnership is very bright,” Bergant added. “Joint intermodal service is the perfect solution for shippers looking to navigate the numerous and volatile issues they face in today’s transport market such as fuel prices and highway congestion.”
About J.B. Hunt
J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc. (NASDAQ: JBHT), one of the largest transportation logistics companies in North America, provides safe and reliable transportation services to a diverse group of customers throughout the continental United States, Canada and Mexico. Utilizing an integrated, multimodal approach, we provide capacity-oriented solutions centered on delivering customer value and industry-leading service.
About BNSF
A subsidiary of Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corporation (NYSE: BNI), BNSF Railway Company operates one of the largest North American rail networks, with about 32,000 route miles in 28 states and two Canadian provinces. BNSF is among the world’s top transporters of intermodal traffic, moves more grain than any other American railroad, carries the components of many of the products we depend on daily, and hauls enough low-sulfur coal to generate about ten percent of the electricity produced in the United States. BNSF is an industry leader in Web-enabling a variety of customer transactions at www.bnsf.com.