Cold chain logistics is not just about refrigerated trucks — it's an unbroken series of steps that protect product integrity from pickup to delivery. Here's the complete picture.
In This Guide
What It Means
Temperature-controlled freight refers to any shipment that requires the trailer to maintain a specific temperature range from pickup to delivery. Also called cold chain logistics, this encompasses frozen goods, refrigerated products, and shipments requiring freeze protection during Canadian winter transit.
The 'chain' in cold chain is deliberate — it means the temperature control must be uninterrupted. A break anywhere in the process, whether a warm trailer at pickup, extended door opening during transit, or a border crossing delay without monitoring, can compromise product integrity regardless of everything else done correctly.
Why It Matters
- A temperature deviation requires review by the responsible product owner under the shipment's written instructions
- Pharmaceutical product decisions belong to the responsible quality team, not the transport broker
- Cannabis products may fail quality testing if temperature ranges are not maintained during transit
- Produce condition and remaining shelf life depend on the lot, handling history and product-specific requirements
- Insurance claims for temperature damage require documented evidence of excursion; without logs, disputes are difficult to resolve
How It Works
Pre-Cooling
Confirm product and trailer pre-cooling when required by the shipper. A transport refrigeration unit is generally intended to maintain product conditions rather than rapidly cool warm product. The product owner supplies setpoint, operating mode and loading instructions.
Loading and Airflow
Product must be loaded to allow airflow circulation throughout the trailer. Refrigeration units push cold air from the front of the trailer through channels along the floor and walls. Blocking these airflow channels creates warm spots that can cause localized temperature excursions even when the unit is functioning correctly.
Monitoring During Transit
Monitoring and records depend on the assigned carrier and equipment and must be requested and confirmed for the shipment. Confirm recording intervals, sensor locations and exception contacts before dispatch; a unit display and a product measurement describe different conditions.
Delivery and Documentation
At delivery, follow the receiver and product owner's measurement and documentation instructions. Preserve available original records and document gaps. Requirements depend on the product, agreements and applicable rules; records alone do not certify condition or compliance.
Common Challenges
- Trailers not pre-cooled to set point before loading — the most common and preventable failure
- Product loaded without adequate airflow clearance, creating warm spots
- Temperature set point not specified when booking, leaving it to carrier discretion
- Border crossing delays extending transit time beyond the product's temperature tolerance
- Refrigeration unit failures during transit without a clear escalation process
Best Practices
- Specify temperature set point, acceptable range, and pre-cool requirements explicitly when booking — in writing
- Specify requested monitoring and records and confirm availability for the shipment
- Confirm operating mode with the product owner and assigned carrier rather than assuming continuous or cycle operation
- Build transit time buffers appropriate to the product's remaining shelf life
- Provide the driver with clear written instructions on what to do if a temperature alarm occurs
When to Use This Service
- Fresh produce and perishable food requiring refrigeration
- Pharmaceutical products with specified temperature storage requirements
- Cannabis products where temperature control is required for product integrity
- Frozen goods requiring maintained sub-zero temperatures
- Products requiring freeze protection during Canadian winter transit
OTR Logistics Solutions coordinates heated through frozen freight across Canada and Canada–U.S. lanes. Equipment, pre-cooling instructions, monitoring and records are shipment-specific and subject to suitable carrier capacity. OTR does not certify cold-chain compliance.
Read temperature-controlled freight guides, the temperature-controlled quote checklist and our food and beverage freight service.
Planning references only—not legal advice, food-safety certification, product-disposition or carrier approval, substitutes for shipper SOPs or product-owner instructions, or guarantees of shelf life or product condition. Confirm written instructions with the responsible parties.
Numerical commodity examples are general references, not universal transport temperatures or shipment instructions. Follow the product owner’s, shipper’s and receiver’s current requirements.
Official food-transport references
CFIA and FDA explain applicable legal requirements and role-based responsibilities, including scope and exceptions. USDA’s historical handbook is technical guidance, not current law. OTR’s checklists and tools are planning recommendations, not compliance certification. Confirm current applicability with the responsible shipper, importer and appointed customs broker.
Frequently Asked Questions
What temperature is a standard reefer trailer set to?
There is no universal setpoint. The shipper or responsible product owner provides the required temperature, units, acceptable range and operating instructions for the specific product and shipment.
What is a temperature logger and do I need one?
A logger records readings at its sensor location and configured intervals. It does not prove every product's temperature or certify compliance. Request monitoring and records and confirm requirements and availability with the responsible parties.
What happens if the reefer unit breaks down during transit?
The driver is responsible for notifying the broker immediately. The broker then coordinates options — emergency repair, transfer to another refrigerated unit, or priority delivery to minimize product exposure. The broker should proactively communicate the situation to the shipper throughout resolution.
Can a reefer trailer be used for freeze protection without refrigeration?
Suitable heating-capable equipment may provide freeze protection. The product owner supplies the range and operating instructions; confirm equipment capability for the lane and conditions. A unit switched off is not active temperature control.
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