Action Steps to Handle Your Refrigerated Shipping
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Use refrigerated trucking news and trends to improve refrigerated hauling

Find out about the latest options, news and trends when it comes to refrigerated trucking, reefer trucks for rent and more. Go green with cold trucking green options that save the earth and save you money at the same time. Look for the latest trends in cost-effective shipping, and find out how your competitors are shipping their products.

I recommend: Find out the latest trends and safety upgrades with refrigerated ltl carriers at Refrigerated Transporter, or get news updates from International Association of Refrigerated Warehouses.

Keep track of refrigerated freight regulations

When you hire a third party to deliver your perishable items, they are responsible for following all shipping regulations, but you are ultimately the one responsible for making sure your product is consumer ready. Keep up with the latest in regulations and information that can affect how you ship your items.

I recommend: Read Food Logistics latest news and regulations information for refrigerated trucking, or subscribe to Transport Topics to keep track of all the safety news and regulations updates.

Weigh your refrigerated trucks options

Want to know what type of refrigerated truck suits your needs best? Use industry magazines, sales catalogs and equipment sales venues to keep up on the latest hauling options. Don't rely on a company to provide you with their newest and greatest trucks without doing your own research. Make sure they know you're informed, and they'll be sure to haul your product in their latest and greatest trailers.

I recommend: Check out the latest equipment at Trailer Body Builders. Subscribe to The Market Watch, a weekly publication of the Trailer Body Builders website. The weekly newsletter is emailed directly to you with the latest industry information. Research new and improved refrigerated trucking options at Bulk Transporter.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Use the classified sections of refrigeration and food magazines to scan for prices of used refrigerator trucks before choosing to purchase a new unit. You may find a better used deal.

Guide to Refrigerated Truck Shipping

How to arrange shipping with a refigerated shipping company or buy a refrigated truck

By Greg Brown

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

Most national refrigerated transport firms offer refrigerated LTL trucking

National firms with multiple types of refrigerated shipping services tend to have also invested in newer refrigerated trucks, competent drivers and cutting-edge dispatch and satellite tracking systems. If your temperature sensitive load is also time sensitive, a big refrigerated shipping company might be best.

I recommend: Find an online directory of refrigerated shipping companies at Leonard's Guide. Refrigerated shipping providers include Roadtex, Prime Inc., K & J Trucking, Arctic Express and Kool Pak. See more refrigerated trucks resources at the Business.com directory page on refrigerated LTL trucking.

Arrange refrigerated truck shipping through a network

If you expect to buy a refrigerated truck or contract steadily with a refrigerated LTL trucking company, it might be worthwhile to instead hire an independent refrigerated truck shippping service through a network.

I recommend: An individual driver might be more interested in your particular route or load. Find one through refrigerated LTL trucking network Glen Rose Transportation Management and Dynamic Transportation. See more on specialized transport at Business.com

For one-off or irregular hauls, consider refrigerated truck rental

Got to move some popsicles to Peoria? Ice to West Islip? If your company needs cold storage and short haul refrigerated truck shipping, renting a refrigerated truck instead of refrigerated LTL trucking might be the solution.

I recommend: Ryder and Brown National Lease rent refrigerated trucks. Buy a refrigerated truck through TruckPaper.

Cold storage companies also sometimes handle refrigerated truck shipping

Unless your company has its own warehouse, you'll need to lease cold storage space as well. Many cold storage firms are full service -- meaning they handle storage but also refrigerated truck shipping service. They also work with refrigerated shipping containers.

I recommend: See vendors of refrigerated container and cold storage services, including Atlas Cold Storage, LA Cold Storage and Portable Cold Storage. Find more refrigerated freight facilities and refrigerated shipping containers at Business.com.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  If your cargo needs to be cold, refrigerated shipping containers and control is the key to success refrigerated truck shipping. Ask about staffing levels at dispatch and driver training.
• •  Tracking is increasingly a common tool for refrigerated truck shippers, in part to keep trucks on time but also to provide real-time tracking on the sensitive goods inside refrigerated shipping containers.
• •  Intermodal refrigerated freight transport in increasingly common. In this case, your will need to send goods in refrigerated shipping containers that can be attached easily to waiting trucks for delivery, no stops.

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

Set up permanent refrigerated transportation

You don't have to be a national food chain to expect good service from a refrigeration trucking company. Small businesses can find a transportation company with dependable service by checking references and getting a list of current customers. Ask for reliability records like on-time delivery percentages and claim ratios or spoilage amounts.

I recommend: Kelle Transport offers dependable, on time delivery of perishable items in their state-of-the-art refrigerated trucks. They were named one of Fortune 500's top 100 start-up companies and boast 99 percent on-time deliveries. Great Western Transportation offers maximum capacity refrigerated shipping containers with air-cushion suspension to keep your product safe.

Look for one-time refrigerated transport options

If you only need refrigerated hauling occasionally or on a temporary basis, find a company that specializes in fast, on-call deliveries. Hire a company you research by getting references, and ask for delivery and claim records.

I recommend: Dynamic Transportation can handle all the logistics of your refrigerated freight needs from personalized customer service to on-time pick up and delivery. Refrigerated Food Express offers nationwide refrigerated reefer trucks for rent and shipping services from van loads to full semi truck loads.

Combine your refrigerated trucking with cold storage services

Combining your cold storage and distribution can save your company time and money. If you currently pay for cold food storage and transportation, consider consolidating the services with one cold food logistics service provider. Find a company with warehousing options that mesh with your needs. Look for those that offer several storage locations across the country if you need storage in several areas, of find a warehouse and distribution company in your area if your needs are more local.

I recommend: There are several reputable nationwide distribution companies that offer cold storage as well. Consider working with Ameri Cold, Kool Pak or Northland Cold Storage. Each offers a full line of cold storage and distribution services from which to choose.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Look for refrigerated truck haulers that offer incentives to new customers. Some offer discounts on first-time loads, monthly or even yearly basis.