Today’s Pickup: J.B. Hunt expands headquarters

Good day,

J.B. Hunt Transport Services has opened a new 144,000-square-foot corporate building in Lowell, Ark. The new building grows J.B. Hunt’s headquarters to over 494,000 square feet.

The four-story building took 18 months to complete and features a ground-level terrace and a 350-seat auditorium. There is also a driver wall of recognition – the Million Mile Wall – that lists all employees who have driven more than 1 million safe miles since 1971. There were 3,300 drivers listed as of May.

Among the departments in the building are highway services, sales, and e-commerce. The new building contains a food and beverage market area on the terrace level, along with indoor and outdoor seating for meals and meetings. There is also access to walking trails that connect to the Northwest Arkansas Razorback Regional Greenway and a 24-hour gym for employees that includes new cardio and weight equipment, group exercise rooms, lockers, and showers.

Did you know?

According to FMCSA Large Truck Crash data, for-hire fleet trucks were involved in 53.7% of all large truck crashes in 2016. Private fleet trucks were involved in 17.3%. In 8.4% of the crashes, the truck was registered for both for-hire and private fleet operation.

Quotable:

“As our eyes and ears on the road, truckers and commercial drivers are often the first line of defense against human trafficking. By providing training to recognize and report trafficking, we can empower them to prevent this heinous crime across the country.”

– Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), a co-sponsor of a bill to combat human trafficking

In other news:

Senate committee passes human trafficking bills

The Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee approved two bills targeting truck drivers involved in human trafficking. One creates an advisory committee and the other would prevent a driver from operating a CMV if they have used such a vehicle to commit a felony involving human trafficking.  (The Hill)

Spot loads up, but rates drop

An unusual late July rise in spot volume led to a 6% rise in van loads posted and a 2% decline in posted truck capacity, but the national van rate fell 2 cents to $1.79 per mile, down from $1.90 per mile earlier in July. (Heavy Duty Trucking)

Class 8 orders continue to climb

Class 8 orders for July continued to remain strong, with Class 8 orders up 4% in July over June and 81% year-over-year, according to ACT Research. (Fleet Owner)

Uber Freight expanding its footprint

Uber Freight announced that it is expanding its service to major metros across California, Arizona, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and the Chicago-Midwest region. (CCJ)

It’s Amazon vs. Alibaba

Amazon’s move into Asia with Amazon Prime Now is setting up a showdown in Singapore with Alibaba, the dominate e-commerce player in Asia. (Supply Chain Brain)

Final Thoughts

Human trafficking in trucks has been a quiet problem for years, but there has been more attention in recent years to preventing it. The passage of a bill by a Senate subcommittee to penalize drivers is another step in the right direction, but it’s not likely enough in and of itself. More education and outreach on ways to spot potential trafficking is something that can and should be incorporated into driving training programs.

Hammer down everyone!