If you’re just now learning about refrigerated trucking, you might not know that trailers are called reefers. If you’re an experienced driver, you understand temperature standards ranging from banana to deep frozen. No one’s invented a refrigerated trucking trivia game yet, but when they do, these facts belong in the cards.
Cold Hard Facts – REFRIGERATED TRUCKING!
Cold Chain Navigation
From depots, docks and tarmacs to industrial sites, grocery stores and pharmacies, refrigerated transportation navigates a complex distribution system. Industry insiders call it the cold chain, and it ensures the safety and freshness of goods that consumers depend on every day. Refrigerated trucking operations manage this matrix with sophisticated tracking systems running 24/7.
Rugged Reefer Specs
Refrigerated trailers are designed to run even without tractors. They’re built with independent fuel supplies, motors and refrigerating equipment. Small insulated reefers average 28 feet in length while big trailers stretch out to 53 feet. Average width measures 8 feet, interior heights average 13 feet, and interior space can cover more than 3,500 cubit feet. The heaviest haulers run on four axles and 16 wheels.
Tough Tractor Stats
It’s probably not fair to compare tractors to cars, but the numbers give you an idea of the mechanical muscle that keeps refrigerated trucking providers on the road. Tractor engines are six times larger than standard car engines, and they haul down the highway with three times more horsepower. Most cars retire before 200,000 miles, but a well-maintained tractor can easily cover a million miles.
Lipstick, Perfume and Penguins
Fresh produce and frozen goods aren’t the only types of cargo that depend on refrigerated transportation. Pharmaceuticals and flowers are also on the list along with artwork, antiques and cosmetics. Reefers transport penguins, perfume and even honey bees across the country in climate-controlled interiors with temperatures ranging from 55 to minus 20 degrees Fahrenheit.
Phenomenal Growth Percentages
Nothing slows down refrigerated trucking, and today’s rigs haul more than 70 percent of our country’s food supply. Add the expanding need for specialized transportation in medical, industrial and electronic fields, and the forecast for success becomes even brighter. The industry will grow by 12 percent annually through 2019 as it heads up the highway to an ever-expanding future.
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Our favorite refrigerated trucking fact centers around the hardworking men and women who proudly keep Nebraska Warehouse trucking, shipping and Logistics on the road to success every day! We salute our teams and drivers for all they do, and we thank you for your interest in our business!