Are you a catering business owner who needs to rent a chiller (refrigerated trucks or portable refrigerated units) in order to store and chill food and beverages for a one-day major event? Or are you a transport business owner or independent trucker who needs to lease a truck for a one-year haul of perishables? Or maybe you already own a truck and want to rent or lease a portable refrigerated container that's mounted behind your cab.

Before renting or leasing a refrigerated truck or container from a chiller rental service, there are some important questions to ask:

1. How long will you need to rent a chiller? Some companies only offer long-term (one year minimum) leases. A typical chiller rent may last for a day, a week, or monthly.
2. How high and wide is your average load of perishables? This will determine how large the refrigerated truck "box" will need to be.
3. Will the chiller need to maintain one steady temperature, or will it need multiple temperature zones?
4. Will you need a chiller that can heat as well as cool the air in the trailer?
5. How do you find chiller rental services with good customer/technical support?

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Conduct online research for information on chiller rentals

In particular, find out the advantages and disadvantages associated with renting or leasing a refrigerated truck or portable refrigerated container.

I recommend: Polar Leasing offers in-depth information about renting or leasing a refrigerated trailer. PLM Trailer Leasing presents a wide selection of truck chillers to rent with a variety of features, including customized and multi-zone temperature units.

Research potential hazards before you lease or rent a chiller

When researching your chiller rental options, pay particular attention to moisture leakage threats and safety hazards.

I recommend: Essential leakage and safety checkpoints are included in the chiller diagram from FAO, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Commonwealth Trailer Rentals, a chiller rental business, offers a safety checklist (PDF) that includes in-transit precautions.

Find chillers for rent in your area that meet your needs

Some chiller rental services will rent refrigerated trucks, but not truck containers. Other companies will rent containers, but not trucks.

I recommend: ThomasNet is a major online business directory. They offer a list of refrigerated truck rental services and chiller container rental services throughout the country.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  If your cargo is stackable, get information on stacking techniques. Stacking cargo or a load incorrectly can create unneeded moisture, corrosion, and product spoilage.
• •  A portable chiller rental should have load bars or other protective devices to secure your cargo if necessary.
• •  Rental chillers should have a thermostat that maintains a steady temperature, starting and stopping the cooling process during geographic changes of temperature while driving.
• •  A refrigerated truck or portable container should have ribbed aluminum floors that prevent slippage during loading, and provides a run-off for accumulated water, particularly for loads packed in ice.
• •  You may want a portable chiller rental set in place as a backup refrigerated storage system for your business, rather than set on a truck bed. If so, you can rent chiller containers from an industrial chiller rental service that will provide delivery and on-site setup for you.