Question to you.
How would you transport meat or some other perishable food from Miami,FL to Los Angeles,CA without altering it?
In a dry van, this kind of freight would probably not be safe for consumption.
Below, I'll explain what refrigerated freight is. What are its benefits? And what are some best practices in transporting refrigerated freight?
What is refrigerated freight in the trucking business?
Refrigerated freight is any type of cargo that requires a certain level of temperature-controlled ambiance during transportation to reach its destination without deterioration.
This type of freight is transported in the two different types of reefer trailers.
Yet if you don't know what reefer trailer is, they are specialized equipment used to transport refrigerated freight.
Types of Refrigerated Cargo
- Goods carried in frozen state i.e. meats, fish and butter.
- Goods carried in chilled state i.e. beef, vegetables, cheese and eggs.
- Goods carried in air cooled condition i.e. fruits.
Benefits of refrigerated freight hauling
- There is a constant need for fresh products or foods on the market, which means that refrigerated trucking is always in high demand. Produce shippers rely on this transportation method as the only way to deliver fresh and safe products across the country.
- Not only do food products fall under the umbrella of refrigerated freight. There is a wide variety of freight types that require temperature-controlled transportation such as plants, pharmaceuticals, personal care products, etc.
- During the transportation of refrigerated freight, you can monitor the levels of temperature, humidity, and other factors in real-time.
- Overall, the reefer rates are a little higher than the rates for dry van transportation.
Refrigerated trucking best practices for drivers
Reefer drivers and carriers can reduce downtime, increase profit margins, and build a good reputation by knowing how to load a 53 foot reefer trailer correctly.
- Before you arrive at the pickup, pre-chill your reefer trailer until it reaches the right temperature so that the freight can be loaded right away without damaging it.
- Before you back up to the dock and open the trailer door, check with the dock manager that the cargo is ready to be loaded. The longer your trailer doors are open the harder it is to maintain the right temperatures inside.
- While in transit, the driver is responsible for the well-being of the freight. They have to check the monitor of the refrigerated unit so that the driver can assure the safety of the transported product.
- As the loading, the unloading process has to be done as quickly as possible. You need to have the same temperature concerns when you unload the freight. Make sure the receiver is ready to receive it before you open the trailer doors.
- Install an air chute inside the reefer trailer to improve the circulation of the air inside it. Read more about what is an air chute on a reefer.
