Creating a More Sustainable Future
In late 2022, we announced our goal at J.B. Hunt to reduce carbon emission intensity 32% by 2034. We are using our 2019 data as a benchmark, or baseline, to measure our progress against.
Compared to our 2019 baseline, we have thus far seen a 16% reduction in carbon emission intensity, which gets us halfway to meeting our goal! Although we still have more progress to make, we’re excited to see how much we’ve accomplished in just a few years. Emission intensity measures the volume of absolute emissions emitted against a relevant business output. This means we’re working to reduce emissions relative to every shipment (or unit) so we can continue to grow our business and still make progress on reducing our carbon footprint.
This goal advances our company’s sustainability efforts and helps us as we work to move the freight industry towards a low-carbon future.
Keep reading to learn more about the three key ways in which J.B. Hunt is working to reach our carbon intensity reduction goal, and how we can help your business build a more sustainable supply chain.
Alternative Vehicles
To help us reach our goal, J.B. Hunt continually evaluates and seeks out opportunities to utilize emerging zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) and alternative-fuel powered vehicles.
We were one of the first companies to place an order for an all-electric heavy-duty Class 8 truck in 2017. In 2022, we received our first company-owned Class 8 electric Freightliner eCascadia truck. By 2023, J.B. Hunt was operating eight eCascadia trucks in Southern California.
We currently operate a total of 11 ZEVs and plan to add more this year.
ZEVs are not as readily available as diesel trucks, making it hard for private fleets and many carriers to secure the equipment they need. As a result, sourcing problems may cause compliance issues for many companies. But J.B. Hunt has connections with major manufacturers and is positioned to deploy ZEVs for your business. Whether you want to start building an all-ZEV fleet today, or gradually phase them in, we can help!
Biogenic Fuels
One of the largest sources of carbon emissions within the supply chain is fuel. We strive to find advanced fuel solutions for customers, including the use of biofuels and ensuring the fuel efficiency of our fleets.
In 2023, 65% of all fuel purchased was a bio-blended diesel product or renewable diesel. For comparison, in 2022, 48% of all fuel we purchased was a bio-blended diesel product or renewable diesel. J.B. Hunt’s total weighted average of fuel from renewable resources was 24% in 2023.
Improving Fuel Economy
J.B. Hunt maintains a modern fleet to ensure that we are utilizing the latest in emission-reduction technologies. Our fleet has an average truck age of only 2.23 years compared to the 5.5-year industry average.
In addition, we outfit our equipment to maximize fuel efficiency with features such as aerodynamic packages for both tractors and trailers, governors to limit speed and improve fuel efficiency, idle-reducing cab heaters and automatic manual transmissions (AMTs) – all of which contribute to improved fuel economy.
Intermodal Conversion
The three key priorities for our carbon emission intensity reduction goal outlined above complement our sustainability efforts with our intermodal service offering. Shipping with intermodal reduces a shipment's carbon footprint by an average of 65% compared to over-the-road transportation. In 2023, we estimate that 3.5 million metric tons of CO2e emissions were avoided by converting over-the-road loads to J.B. Hunt intermodal.
In addition to helping reduce carbon emissions, intermodal can provide a way for businesses to manage their costs and save compared to over-the-road costs for the same route. Shipping freight via intermodal with J.B. Hunt has the potential to save customers at least 15% compared to highway, even when expedited.
Building More Sustainable Supply Chains
As we work to achieve our goal to reduce our carbon emission intensity 32% by 2034, J.B. Hunt is also pursuing other avenues to build more sustainable supply chains, such as our CLEAN Transport® program. The CLEAN Transport program gives customers the opportunity to acquire carbon offset credits to help them become carbon neutral. We strive to prioritize sustainability while holding true to our customer commitment to provide efficient, quality driven and competitive supply chain solutions to move freight.
If you’re looking for ways to prioritize environmental sustainability within your supply chain, J.B. Hunt can help. Contact us today!