<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2005-07-22</periodOfReport>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000728535</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>HUNT J B TRANSPORT SERVICES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>JBHT</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001190245</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>HARPER ALFRED C</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>615 J.B. HUNT CORPORATE DRIVE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>LOWELL</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>AR</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>72745</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>1</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText>EVP and Chief Operations Offic</otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>247398</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock 401(k)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>17126</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Forward Sale Contract</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>.5</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2007-07-23</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2007-07-23</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityValue>
                    <value>2</value>
                </underlyingSecurityValue>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <valueOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>2</value>
                </valueOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Forward Sale Contract</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2005-07-22</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate>
                <value>2005-07-22</value>
            </deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionTotalValue>
                    <value>1</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionTotalValue>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2008-06-20</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2008-06-20</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityValue>
                    <value>1</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </underlyingSecurityValue>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <valueOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1</value>
                </valueOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Right to Buy   Stock Option</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>3</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2000-06-01</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2008-01-25</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>14284</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>14284</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Right to Buy   Stock Option</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>3.125</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>1999-06-01</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2009-10-08</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>18872</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>18872</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Right to Buy   Stock Option</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>3.475</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2002-06-01</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2012-11-02</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>100000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>100000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Right to Buy   Stock Option</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>3.75</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>1998-06-01</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2008-04-14</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>32000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>32000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Right to Buy   Stock Option</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>4.81</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2007-05-30</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>6000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>6000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Right to Buy   Stock Option</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>7.08</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2004-06-01</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2013-10-24</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>62224</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>62224</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Right to Buy   Stock Option</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>7.215</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>1999-06-01</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2009-06-15</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>12000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>12000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Right to Buy   Stock Option</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>12.2</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2009-06-01</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2013-10-23</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>48000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>48000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Right to Buy   Stock Option</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>20.365</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2012-06-01</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2015-10-21</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>48000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>48000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F2">First date exerciseable is 6/1/1997</footnote>
        <footnote id="F1">On July 22, 2005, Alfred C. Harper entered into a Specialized Term Appreciation Retention Sale (STARS) transaction with Bank of America (BOA) whereby the holder will agree to sell BOA on a forward basis for settlement on or about July 2008 up to 60,000 shares of common stock.  The actual number of shares of common stock to be delivered on the maturity dates will be determined in accordance with a variable share delivery formula.  The forward floor price on July 22, 2005 was $19.3195.  The forward cap price will be $28.9793.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Debbie Willbanks</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2005-07-26</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
[{"type": "4", "sequence": "1", "filename": "doc.xml", "description": "PRIMARY DOCUMENT", "secsgml_size_bytes": 17959}]
X0202
4
2005-07-22
0000728535
HUNT J B TRANSPORT SERVICES INC
JBHT
0001190245
HARPER ALFRED C
615 J.B. HUNT CORPORATE DRIVE
LOWELL
AR
72745
0
0
0
1
EVP and Chief Operations Offic
Common Stock
247398
D
Common Stock 401(k)
17126
D
Forward Sale Contract
.5
2007-07-23
2007-07-23
Common Stock
2
2
D
Forward Sale Contract
2005-07-22
2005-07-22
4
J
0
1
A
2008-06-20
2008-06-20
Common Stock
1
1
D
Right to Buy   Stock Option
3
2000-06-01
2008-01-25
Common Stock
14284
14284
D
Right to Buy   Stock Option
3.125
1999-06-01
2009-10-08
Common Stock
18872
18872
D
Right to Buy   Stock Option
3.475
2002-06-01
2012-11-02
Common Stock
100000
100000
D
Right to Buy   Stock Option
3.75
1998-06-01
2008-04-14
Common Stock
32000
32000
D
Right to Buy   Stock Option
4.81
2007-05-30
Common Stock
6000
6000
D
Right to Buy   Stock Option
7.08
2004-06-01
2013-10-24
Common Stock
62224
62224
D
Right to Buy   Stock Option
7.215
1999-06-01
2009-06-15
Common Stock
12000
12000
D
Right to Buy   Stock Option
12.2
2009-06-01
2013-10-23
Common Stock
48000
48000
D
Right to Buy   Stock Option
20.365
2012-06-01
2015-10-21
Common Stock
48000
48000
D
First date exerciseable is 6/1/1997
On July 22, 2005, Alfred C. Harper entered into a Specialized Term Appreciation Retention Sale (STARS) transaction with Bank of America (BOA) whereby the holder will agree to sell BOA on a forward basis for settlement on or about July 2008 up to 60,000 shares of common stock.  The actual number of shares of common stock to be delivered on the maturity dates will be determined in accordance with a variable share delivery formula.  The forward floor price on July 22, 2005 was $19.3195.  The forward cap price will be $28.9793.
Debbie Willbanks
2005-07-26