J.B. Hunt News Updates

Bot Auto’s first driverless runs on public roads took place in the summer of 2025 in the Houston area. A 40-mile validation run took place July 17 with no one in the cab or remote assistance.

J.B. Hunt handled fewer longhaul, coast-to-coast shipments during the quarter, with intermodal volumes shifting toward shorter hauls in the eastern U.S.

J.B. Hunt has 200 compressed natural gas trucks, most of which have 12-liter engines. Over the past 12 months, the carrier introduced 15-liter RNG engines to its fleet.

Data provided to Transport Topics shows an acceleration in carrier capacity exits, and observers see a number of macroeconomic dominoes starting to fall into place.

Customers are telling J.B. Hunt it has been a shipper’s market for longer than any of them expected, but they expect change in the market soon, said Director of Intermodal Pricing Amy Horn.

Rob Abbott of Fleetworthy points out that trucking has a history of continual improvement in safety, and has reduced its fatal crash rate by more than 50% since 1975.

“The reason you’ve seen spot rates up in the last couple of weeks — it’s been because of the enforcement activity,” said J.B. Hunt Chief Operating Officer Nick Hobbs.

Companywide cost-cutting initiatives are having an effect, the company said of its third-quarter earnings report released after the market closed Oct. 15.

Fleet executives are expecting freight market struggles to continue for 12 to 18 months, with high capacity and low demand keeping rates depressed.

Steves & Sons began pilot program testing Bot Auto’s retrofitted Freightliner tractors alongside its managed logistics provider, J.B. Hunt Transport Services, in June.