Refrigerated truck trailers, commonly called reefers, allow freight to be temperature-controlled from pickup to drop-off. All reefer shipments have one thing in common: the trailer in which the goods are loaded has a built-in refrigeration system to regulate the temperature and keep the freight at its pre-shipment temperature.
Most people know that refrigerated trailers haul frozen foods, meat and fresh produce, but many other products like electronic equipment, flowers, medicine, cosmetics and fine art are also hauled in reefers.
A few refrigerated shipping facts:
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The refrigerated shipping trailer was patented in 1939
- Before refrigeration, produce could only travel about 50 miles from the farm where it was grown
- There are roughly 500,000 reefers on the road in the United States and haul 90% of all food consumed in the US
- The interior of a trailer can be 30 degrees hotter than the outside temperature
- On average, each refrigerated trailer costs around $60,000 and contains 1,000 pounds of insulation
How does a reefer work? The main purpose of a reefer isn’t to cool the freight inside but to keep it at its required temperature. Trailer walls are insulated with foam insulation and a heavy-duty seal is used around the door to help seal out external heat and in some cases, the reefer trailer roof uses a reflective material that helps decrease heat absorption from the sun. The reefer also has to remove heat from inside the trailer as well as any that comes in when the door is opened. This is accomplished using a refrigeration system that is affixed to the front of the trailer.
The refrigeration system typically uses a four-cylinder diesel engine to provide power, although emissions standards and rising fuel costs have led to battery, electric, and hybrid refrigeration units being put into service.
Newer reefers offer multi-temperature refrigeration in one trailer. This system utilizes one power source and movable partitions to create up to three temperature zones for hauling up to three types of freight with different temperature requirements.
To help you ship smarter, here is a short list of refrigerated freight best practices:
- Identify your needs and ship accordingly. Perishable items (medicine, food, plants, meat, etc.) need to move the fastest, whereas non-perishables (artwork, electronics, cosmetics) do not.
- Load quickly. Always have your refrigerated freight ready to be loaded and secure it properly. Also, have the shipment at the correct shipping temperature; don’t reply on the reefer to get it to its “ideal” temp.
- Monitor the shipment. Reefers are equipped with temperature monitoring systems and during transit, the driver is responsible for the well-being of the freight, so make sure it is continuously monitored.
- Unloading. Unload as quickly and efficiently as possible. Reefer units may continue to run during both loading and unloading (depending on the shipper or consignee’s rules) so make it quick.
- Turn the reefer off if it isn’t needed. It is acceptable (and common) to use reefer trailers to ship goods that don’t need to be temperature controlled, but if your shipment could be damaged by humidity or cold temperatures, make sure the reefer unit is off.
- Ensure your shipment is packaged correctly. Proper packaging is very important. Packaging should be crush proof, solid-side for frozen products, and vented-side for fresh products.
- Know when to use continuous cooling. If you are shipping perishable items such as fresh fruit, vegetables or flowers, make sure the refrigeration unit is set to continuous. Ripening produce generates heat and needs continuous airflow.
When you have a freight shipment that requires a refrigerated trailer, you need modern equipment, a high service level and a price that won’t break your bottom line. PartnerShip can provide you a competitive price on refrigerated truckload shipments to help you ship smarter and stay competitive.
Get a free refrigerated freight quote today!
