Cold chain, held end to end.
Food, pharma, florals — anything that has to stay cold needs more than a truck; it needs a documented cold chain. RS Group brokers refrigerated LTL and truckload nationwide, matching the right reefer to your setpoint and following a prep process that keeps the temperature intact from dock to dock.
What is refrigerated or reefer freight?
Refrigerated freight — reefer — is temperature-controlled shipping. The trailer is a self-contained refrigeration unit that holds a set temperature for the entire haul, so perishable and temperature-sensitive goods arrive in the same condition they left.
Unlike a dry van, a reefer actively manages the environment inside — cooling (and on some units, heating) to keep the freight at its target setpoint through summer heat and winter cold alike. That makes it the mode for food, beverages, pharmaceuticals, florals, and any product whose quality depends on staying cold.
The key thing to understand is that a reefer maintains temperature — it is not designed to cool a warm load down. Keeping the cold chain intact is a shared job between the shipper and the carrier, which is exactly why the preparation process below matters as much as the equipment.
Why ship reefer
Five reasons temperature control pays for itself for perishable and sensitive freight.
Product quality preserved
A reefer holds a set temperature end to end, so perishables arrive in the same condition they left — fresh food still fresh, pharmaceuticals still within spec, and nothing spoiled by a warm trailer.
Longer shelf life
Maintaining the cold chain slows spoilage, so temperature-sensitive goods reach the shelf with more of their usable life intact — more sell-through for your customer, fewer write-offs for you.
Loss and spoilage reduction
Consistent temperature control means fewer rejected loads and spoilage claims at the dock. For perishable shippers, that reduction in loss is often the whole business case for reefer.
Operational efficiency
Reefers move both frozen and fresh, so you can consolidate temperature-controlled freight into one shipment and one carrier relationship instead of juggling multiple specialized lanes.
Flexible temperature control
From deep-frozen to just-above-freezing, the trailer’s setpoint is dialed to your product. Multi-temp and reefer LTL options handle mixed or smaller loads without renting a whole frozen truck.
The cost of refrigerated shipping
Reefer costs more than dry van — and for good reasons. The equipment is specialized, the cooling unit burns fuel the whole trip, and refrigerated capacity is simply tighter than dry capacity. A reefer rate reflects the lane and distance, the setpoint you need, the season, and how much capacity is available when you ship.
But the premium is almost always small next to the value of what it protects. A single spoiled or rejected load usually costs far more than the reefer upcharge spread across many shipments — which is why perishable shippers treat temperature control as insurance, not an extra. As a brokerage we shop reefer capacity across our 6,200+ carrier partners to keep the rate competitive, and we help you decide between reefer LTL and a dedicated truckload so you are not overpaying for capacity you do not need.
The six-step cold-chain process
Temperature control is a shared job. These six steps keep the cold chain intact from your dock to the destination — and keep spoilage claims from ever happening.
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Pre-cool the product and the trailer
Reefers maintain temperature — they do not pull down a warm load. Pre-cool the freight to its target temperature before loading, and have the trailer pre-cooled too, so the cold chain starts intact rather than fighting to catch up.
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Choose the right packaging and insulation
Use packaging rated for cold: insulated liners, proper cartons, and where needed dry ice or gel packs for extra thermal mass. Good packaging protects the product if a door stays open or a setpoint drifts.
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Set and document the target temperature
Agree on the exact setpoint for the product and record it on the bill of lading. A documented temperature is what a carrier is held to — and what protects you if a claim ever arises.
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Load quickly and pattern for airflow
Minimize the time doors are open, and stack the freight so cold air can circulate — off the floor, away from the walls, not blocking the return air chute. Airflow is what keeps every pallet at temperature, not just the ones near the unit.
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Verify the reefer and continuous monitoring
Confirm the unit is running at setpoint before departure and that continuous temperature monitoring or logging is in place. A recorded temperature history is your proof the cold chain held the whole way.
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Plan the delivery and unloading
Coordinate a receiving appointment so the freight is not sitting on a hot dock. Fast, scheduled unloading at the destination closes the cold chain cleanly — the last place spoilage sneaks in is an unattended delivery.
What our customers say
- Inc. 5000 · #799 America's fastest-growing private companies (2024)
- TSA IAC Indirect Air Carrier status
- 6,200+ Vetted carrier partners
- 18,500+ Shipments moved to date
I have been working with Brent and his team for almost a year and the experience has been nothing but positive.
The best part of working with RS Group is the customer service you can expect to receive.
RS Group, to me, represents the pinnacle in customer service.
Refrigerated freight questions
The questions perishable shippers ask us most about reefer freight.
What temperature can a refrigerated truck hold?
Reefer trailers cover the full temperature-controlled range — from deep-frozen (well below zero) up to just-above-freezing fresh and cool setpoints. The unit is set to your product’s target and holds it for the duration of the haul.
Multi-temperature trailers can even maintain two or three zones at once, so frozen and fresh freight can share a truck. Tell us your product’s required temperature and we spec the equipment to match.
How much does refrigerated freight cost?
Reefer freight costs more than dry van because the equipment is specialized, it burns fuel to run the cooling unit, and reefer capacity is tighter. Rates are built from the lane and distance, the setpoint, the season, and current capacity.
The premium is usually small next to the value of the product you are protecting — a single spoiled load often costs far more than the reefer upcharge across many shipments. We shop reefer capacity across our carrier network to keep the rate competitive.
Do you offer reefer LTL for smaller cold shipments?
Yes. When you do not have a full truckload of cold freight, reefer LTL lets your temperature-controlled shipment share a refrigerated trailer, so you are not paying for a whole frozen truck. It follows the same cold-chain discipline, just consolidated.
For larger or more time-sensitive cold loads, a dedicated refrigerated truckload keeps the freight direct and untouched. We help you pick the right one.
What happens if the temperature is not maintained?
That is exactly why the setpoint is documented on the bill of lading and why continuous temperature monitoring matters. If a carrier fails to hold the agreed temperature and the product is damaged, the recorded temperature history is the basis of a claim.
The best outcome, though, is prevention: pre-cooling, proper packaging, airflow and monitoring keep the cold chain intact so a claim never happens. Our prep process above is built around that.
Keep your cold chain intact.
Tell us the product, the setpoint and the lane — we'll spec the right reefer, shop the rate across 6,200+ carriers, and help you keep the temperature documented end to end.