🎣 Freight vs Winter Storm

Happy Hump Day. Snow, ice, and extreme cold are set to disrupt trucking, intermodal, and spot pricing across the South and East.

Plus:

• J.B. Hunt Strong Q4
• Bulmaks Files For Bankruptcy
• OpenAI Seeks U.S. AI Suppliers

🍳 What's Cookin' In Freight

📈 J.B. Hunt Posts Strong Q4 Finish. J.B. Hunt Transport Services reported Q4 operating income of nearly $247 million, up 19% year over year, driven by cost cuts, lower personnel expenses, and productivity gains. Revenue growth came from truckload and dedicated contract services, though full-year revenue fell 1% to $12 billion. CEO Shelley Simpson said the freight market “feels fragile” entering 2026. Dedicated services added 40 new customers, helping J.B. Hunt gain market share despite uneven demand.

😔 Bulmaks Files For Bankruptcy. Bulmaks, a West Chicago-based carrier, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Jan. 5, reporting $6.7 million in liabilities and $2 million in assets. The carrier saw revenue drop nearly 19% in 2025 to $19 million, according to court filings. FMCSA data shows Bulmaks operated 170 power units and 182 drivers. At least 50 creditors are affected, including lenders tied to Freightliner equipment.

🤖 OpenAI Seeks U.S. AI Suppliers. OpenAI issued a request for proposal to expand U.S.-based manufacturing for AI hardware, robotics components, and data center infrastructure. The company said advanced AI requires more than chips, citing racks, power systems, cooling, and assembly capacity. The effort supports OpenAI’s broader push to scale domestic compute tied to its Stargate data center initiative. Proposal submissions are due by June 2026, with vendor selection planned for March 2027.

Together With CtrlChain

Running a successful trucking operation means doing more with less, and CtrlChain makes that possible.

• Our automated systems let carriers handle more freight without adding staff.
• Route and trip planning reduce deadhead miles and wasted time, with dashboards to monitor performance.
• Back-office automation cuts paperwork and frees time for booking and moving loads.
• And our Conversations feature streamlines customer communication with faster updates and resolutions.

Every tool working together to make operations leaner, smarter, and more profitable.

Let’s build a future where freight moves efficiently and carriers operate with confidence. Contact us to see how CtrlChain can support you.

Winter Storm Puts Freight Under Pressure

A powerful winter storm is set to disrupt freight movement across the South, Midwest, and Eastern U.S. through the weekend and into early next week.

Snow, ice, and prolonged cold are converging across core trucking lanes at the same time.