Shelly Simpson, President and CEO of J.B. Hunt Transport Services, offers a sweeping view into the evolving landscape of the transportation industry, emphasizing how innovation, data, and resilience are helping navigate major industry-wide headwinds.
Simpson, celebrating her 30th year with J.B. Hunt, leads a workforce of 33,000 across North America. In remarks last month to the Plug and Play technology innovation summit, she candidly addressed several systemic challenges currently facing the supply chain and trucking sectors—including an ongoing freight recession, rising inflation, and a surge in cargo theft—while showcasing how J.B. Hunt is meeting these obstacles with a bold, technology-forward strategy.
Freight Recession and Market Headwinds
Simpson revealed that the trucking industry, including J.B. Hunt, has been in a freight recession for nearly three years. Characterized by declining demand, excess capacity, and suppressed rates, this environment has forced companies to rethink traditional business models. “Innovation becomes critical,” Simpson stated, “and that’s how technology has really driven the company forward.”
These economic pressures are not isolated. Inflation, especially on operational costs and insurance, has compounded the challenges. Notably, the company has seen a 260% increase in excess insurance coverage costs.
Technology as a Culture, Not Just a Tool
Under Simpson's leadership, J.B. Hunt has embraced a “technology mindset,” shifting from viewing technology as an isolated platform to embedding it into the core of organizational culture. At the heart of this transformation is the J.B. Hunt 360° platform, a digital freight marketplace connecting shippers and carriers with unprecedented speed and visibility.
Launched in 2017, this platform emerged from grassroots insight—a marketing meeting that revealed over one million annual visits from carriers seeking freight opportunities. “That was our lightbulb moment,” said Simpson. “We had both sides of the marketplace: demand and supply.”
The 360° platform not only reduced waste—one-third of trucker driving hours are typically lost—but also offered real-time pricing, shipment visibility, and eliminated millions of empty miles from J.B. Hunt’s operations.
Combatting Cargo Theft and Cyber Threats
Simpson also discussed the dramatic rise in cargo theft, which has become a $35 billion-a-year problem, exacerbated by bad actors exploiting digital systems. J.B. Hunt responded by reinforcing its digital infrastructure, creating layered security systems akin to compartmentalized home alarm systems. The result? A 90% reduction in thefts in Q1 of 2024 and recognition from CargoNet for excellence in cargo security.
Safety Innovations and AI Integration
Safety remains a foundational value for J.B. Hunt, and Simpson underscored recent milestones, including:
- Over 5,000 drivers achieving 1 million+ safe miles.
- The company’s first maintenance facility reaching 1 million safe labor hours.
- Record-setting safety performance in both 2023 and 2024.
Simpson highlighted the controversial but effective implementation of inward-facing cameras, powered by AI, which monitor driver attentiveness and help proactively prevent accidents. These tools are positioned as coaching aids, not surveillance measures. “Even the best drivers can get better,” she explained.
AI also plays a critical role in back-office efficiencies, automating data compilation and sustainability reporting—work that once took hours now takes minutes.
Collaboration Over Competition
Simpson urged the industry to shift from siloed innovation to courageous collaboration, referencing cross-industry efforts such as:
- The Scheduling Standards Consortium, uniting competitors to improve facility efficiency.
- A full truckload council and LTL initiatives.
- Joint safety developments with major truck manufacturers.
She also pointed to J.B. Hunt’s partnership with startup incubator Up.Labs, aiming to launch six startups over the next three years focused on logistics challenges.
A Vision Beyond Freight
J.B. Hunt’s current vision is “to create the most efficient transportation network in North America,” a mission that guides every strategic decision from platform design to AI deployment. “You don’t have to be in Silicon Valley to create great technology,” Simpson affirmed, “you need a startup mindset and a relentless drive to empower people through tech.”
Her closing challenge was inspired by company founder Johnnie Bryan Hunt: “Is it big yet?” It’s a question she encourages everyone to ask as they build technology that doesn’t replace people—but enables them to do their best work.
