J.B. Hunt says fuel spike not yet driving intermodal conversion
J.B. Hunt Transport Services says the recent spike in fuel costs has not yet led to a noticeable shift of freight from over-the-road trucking to intermodal service.
The company’s message is straightforward: while higher diesel prices can change how shippers move freight, J.B. Hunt is not seeing that kind of immediate “conversion” at this point.
For drivers, that matters because intermodal conversion can affect how much freight stays on the highway versus moving in containers by rail for the long-haul portion. In many lanes, intermodal is positioned as a cost-saving option when trucking capacity is tight or when operating costs, like fuel, rise sharply.
J.B. Hunt’s view suggests that, so far, the fuel increase alone hasn’t been enough to push a broad change in shipping decisions. That highlights how shipper mode choices often depend on more than fuel price—such as service requirements, transit time, network flexibility, and reliability.