Since 1961, J.B. Hunt has been a company rooted in innovation. Our history of thinking big turned a small rice hull operation into a company that, today, is a leader in the transportation industry and changing the future of supply chain.
Let’s dive deeper into the history of J.B. Hunt and how our founder’s passion for growth and innovation has made the company what it is today.
How Did J.B. Hunt Get Started?
In 1961, Johnnie Bryan Hunt and his wife Johnelle, founded J.B. Hunt in Stuttgart, Arkansas. What began as a rice hull operation was molded and shifted into a trucking company following Mr. Hunt’s purchase of five trucks and seven trailers. In 1969, the Hunts relocated to Northwest Arkansas, where J.B. Hunt is headquartered to this day, to focus on growing the trucking business.
Mr. Hunt cared about ideas and listened in a different way. He was a dreamer, and Mrs. Hunt provided the encouragement and support to turn these dreams into a reality. J.B. Hunt used his industry knowledge and experience as an over the road truck driver to turn that small trucking company into the nationally recognized company that it is today.
Mrs. Hunt once said of her husband, “There’s an imaginary sign outside this building. None of us can see it, but the people that are passing by can. It says, ‘If you have a crazy idea come here, there’s a man that’ll listen to you.’”
What is J.B. Hunt Like Today?
After over 62 years of business, J.B. Hunt has grown from that small fleet of a few trucks into a Fortune 500 company. Today, J.B. Hunt is an industry leader in transportation and logistics, offering Dedicated Contract Services, Intermodal, Truckload and Final Mile Services for customers across the United States, Canada and Mexico.
There is so much more to J.B. Hunt than just trucking. We engineer innovative technology that accelerates our growth and is disrupting the transportation industry. Over the past few years, we have developed new capabilities that improve the experience of our drivers and automate efficient carrier solutions for our customers.
While our company has significantly evolved since 1961, one thing has remained the same – our scroll logo. Chosen by Mr. Hunt himself, the scroll is a constant reminder of the hard work and innovative spirit of our founders.
To this day, the black and yellow scroll is one of the most recognized symbols in transportation, proudly marking thousands of trucks and trailers moving across North America. By honoring the scroll, we ensure that as we dream of new ways to innovate and grow, we stay grounded in integrity, respect, innovation, safety and excellence.
While our company is always focused on innovation, we believe that this is truly just the beginning of things for us. The Hunt’s passion for thinking outside the box can be felt in all we do here at J.B. Hunt as we seek to create the most efficient transportation network in America.
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