Optimised Fleet Solutions for Refrigerated Transport Services

The global demand for refrigerated transport services has increased over the years due to the rise in e-commerce. Nowadays, people buy food and medication online, which has increased the need to transport products in agriculture, food and beverages, and pharmaceuticals.
Refrigerated transport services play a vital role in modern global supply chains. They make sure temperature-sensitive goods such as vegetables, seafood, and fresh flowers reach their destinations in perfect condition. Without the right technology, this essential service can get quite complex.

Today we explore everything you need to know about fleet solutions for refrigerated transport services.

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All you need to know about refrigerated transport services

Temperature-controlled trucks enable businesses to reduce their transportation costs by transporting products by road, which is cheaper than shipping by air. This form of transport service is also known as cold chain logistics. The main objective of this industry is to maintain product quality and safety throughout the entire supply chain.

These goods can be on the road for days before reaching their destinations, so there have to be strategies in place to ensure that they are transported efficiently—that’s where fleet management technology comes in.

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Understanding the needs of refrigerated transport

There are many obstacles that refrigerated transport businesses come across daily, most of which can be avoided through advanced technology. Here are three major challenges faced by most businesses that offer refrigerated transport services:

• Temperature Sensitivity: It is important to maintain a specific temperature range when storing and transporting refrigerated goods. The temperature depends on the type of product it is. For example, fruits and vegetables require a temperature range of 2℃ to 4℃, while seafood needs to be frozen at -28℃ to -30℃. Products such as vaccines are so sensitive that they require constant controlled temperature from the moment they are manufactured. If the temperature changes, even for a short period, they could lose potency and become unfit for use. For this reason, there has to be an unbroken transport chain. This means, from the production stage, through distribution, to delivery, the products must be kept at a constant controlled temperature. Achieving this result can be difficult due to factors such as extreme weather conditions and the opening and closing of cargo doors during the loading and offloading stage. With the right technology, the issues surrounding temperature sensitivity can be quickly resolved.

• Timeliness: Being on time is important for many businesses, but for temperature-sensitive goods, it is crucial. Drivers are constantly under immense pressure to reach their destinations without delay. A delay during the delivery stage may cause temperature fluctuations, which then affect product quality. This also shortens the shelf life of products such as fruits and vegetables, meaning the products cannot be in the store for long once they reach their destinations. For this reason, some retailers have strict guidelines that can result in steep penalties for deliveries that arrive late. There are many things that prolong transit times, such as vehicle breakdown, taking longer routes, or border clearance. This heightens the need for real-time visibility, properly planned routes, and good communication.
• Compliance: A major challenge is that fleet businesses for refrigerated goods need to adhere to strict industry regulations and standards. Transporting temperature-sensitive products, particularly food, requires good hygiene and total reliability. The food transportation businesses are regulated by law. These regulations first address the hygienic aspect, stating that the vehicle compartment must be clean to the extent that physical or microbiological contamination of the food is prevented. Secondly, it is important that the vehicle itself is reliable; the vehicles must be in good condition at all times because that is also a reflection of the refrigerated compartments. Failure to adhere to such regulations will result in heavy fines or the business being deemed unfit for the role.

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How to Monitor Refrigerated Cargo with Cartrack Nigeria

Cartrack gives you optimised fleet management solutions for your refrigerated transport service so you can focus on happy clients and making a profit. Here’s how we help:

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Real-time temperature monitoring:

Cartrack offers up to four temperature sensors to remotely monitor the temperature of your cargo. With this, you can receive alerts on any temperature fluctuations and reports that show temperatures stayed within the compliant range. For example, you can get alerted if temperatures go outside your approved range and correct them before produce or goods go off. If products spoil, cargo temperature reports can help prove that transportation was not the cause.

Secondly, through our cargo door sensors, you get to know when cargo doors open and close and get real-time alerts as well as reports that give you the location and duration of the sensor activity. This means you will immediately know when cargo doors are opened and whether they were opened outside of your pre-approved pickup or dropoff zones. The reports show you how long your reefer trailers’ cargo doors were open, so you can identify temperature fluctuations caused by drivers leaving them open.

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Route optimisation

Reduce transit time to preserve product quality with our route optimisation service. This feature helps you avoid longer travel times that could cause delays and also affect product quality. Our system automatically creates job routes for drivers that minimise mileage and fuel costs. With this tool, you will know when drivers did not go according to the planned routes so you can quickly address the issue.

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Fleet location tracking

Live location
Cartrack gives you full visibility of your vehicles in real-time, so you know where they are at all times. Our GPS tracking technology shows you accurate vehicle locations so you can ensure safe and efficient travelling.

Geofencing
Create virtual fences around areas of your choice, such as drop-off zones and filling stations, to ensure route compliance and that drivers adhere to their schedules. Our geofence feature alerts you whenever drivers enter or exit these zones so that they start and end their shifts at the correct times to enhance productivity and streamline operations.

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Driver management

In addition to having technology that will keep your refrigerated cargo in good condition, drivers also need to be trained on how to handle temperature-sensitive cargo. To make it easier, Cartrack has a driver coaching platform that helps monitor driver behaviour so you can have a record of incidents, such as when cargo doors are left open for long. Drivers can then be called in for a coaching session in order to improve their habits.

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Predictive maintenance

Our IoT-powered fleet management tools help you reduce downtime and maintenance costs while boosting productivity. With this, you get accurate odometer readings for internal reporting and vehicle management. You also receive information on engine diagnostics so you can send vehicles for repairs before the problems become bigger. This helps prevent unexpected delays caused by vehicles breaking down, which could compromise goods. Additionally, you can record, update, and store maintenance activities digitally for easy reference and convenient reporting.

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Ensure your refrigerated cargo stays fresh at all times

Cartrack specialises in all things fleet management. Our solutions are here to boost your fleet’s productivity, streamline operations, and reduce costs. With us, your refrigerated cargo will always be closely monitored to ensure your clients receive the goods in the best possible condition. Contact us today and get a free quote.

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Here are some frequently asked questions about refrigerated cargo

How to transport refrigerated goods?

Firstly, the goods need to be properly packed using materials that are meant for packing refrigerated goods, such as styrofoam, dry ice, and gel packs. The packaging must keep the heat out so the products can remain frozen.

Secondly, there are vehicles that are specially designed for this task, such as reefer trucks and reefer trailers. You need to choose vehicles with refrigeration and freezing systems that meet your specifications and carefully plan the transportation process.
Lastly, you need to invest in a fleet management system that will help you monitor cargo temperatures in real time, so you always know what’s going on and ensure that the goods remain in desired conditions.

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What is the demand for refrigerated transport?
According to Research and Market, the refrigerated transport market is expected to reach US$ 27.07 billion by the year 2032 from US$ 17.77 billion in 2023, with a growth rate of 4.79% from 2024 to 2032.

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What is refrigerated transportation? 

Refrigerated transportation is a way of transporting goods that have specific needs for controlled temperatures. The goods are placed in vehicles that have built-in refrigeration systems in order to maintain the required temperature during the transportation process.

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If you have more questions, you can contact us today and speak to a fleet consultant.