Refrigerated transport is necessary for safely delivering a variety of items, including flowers, medications, and food. However, not all refrigerated trucks provide the same solutions.
Some options may not meet your needs.
Here are the main features to consider when choosing a refrigerated truck.
Storage Capacity
One of the first considerations is the size of the refrigerated truck body. Make sure that the truck is large enough to support your needs. Review the refrigeration capacity of the truck to avoid running out of space.
Keep in mind that you may not need the largest truck available. Choosing a truck that exceeds your needs may result in additional fuel costs and more of an inconvenience for your drivers.
Temperature
Always consider the temperature requirements of the goods that you plan on transporting before shopping for a refrigerated truck. Some trucks may not offer the temperature range needed to keep your items at the right temperature.
A reliable refrigerated truck should be able to maintain a temperature of 18 degrees Celsius.
However, you can also find trucks capable of maintaining temperatures as low as -25 degrees Celsius.
Single Versus Multi-Temperature Trucks
Some refrigerated trucks include multi-temperature control. Instead of a single cooling mechanism, the truck is equipped with two sections with separate temperature control.
A multi-temp refrigerated truck is useful for transporting a combination of goods with different temperature requirements.
Fuel Efficiency and Range
Refrigerated trucks require a lot of gas to power the engine and the cooling mechanism. Depending on your storage needs, you may save money by using a smaller, lighter refrigerated truck. However, you also need to consider the range of the truck.
If you need to transport goods a great distance, you need a truck that can support longer trips. A fuel-efficient truck is likely to offer greater range.
Condition
If you are planning on purchasing a new refrigerated truck, you may not need to worry about its condition and age. However, you should always review the condition of the truck before buying or renting a used vehicle. Pay attention to the age, mileage, and condition of the body.
You should also inspect the performance of the cooling equipment. An older unit may not offer suitable efficiency, especially if it was not properly maintained.
Extra Features
The top refrigerated truck suppliers offer extra features for your convenience. This may include curtains, pallet skates, dividers, shoring bars, checker plates, pallet strips, kick panels, and electric stand-by (ESB).
Pallet skates and strips make it easier to safely load and unload pallets. You can use curtains to help keep the interior cool when opening the doors. If you want to secure your goods and decrease the risk of them shifting or falling over, consider adding shoring bars.
Custom Solutions
After comparing the features discussed, you may not find the right truck for your needs. Reliable refrigerated truck suppliers offer custom solutions to address your requirements.
This may include modifying an existing design to suit your business operations or developing an entirely new solution from the ground up.
The next step is to contact a company with decades of experience in the refrigerated transport industry.
