Truck driver refrigerated trucking companies

Ever wondered how that steak ended up in your fridge from across the country without going bad? Well, refrigerated trucking companies serve a very specific and important role in the U.S., ensuring that sensitive, perishable, and other temperature-sensitive goods are shipped from one location to the next.

Luckily, this article will cover everything you need to know about refrigerated trucking, as well as the top ten refrigerated trucking companies across the U.S.:

1. Prime Inc.

2. C.R. England

3. KLLM Transport Services

4. Marten Transport

5. Swift Refrigerated

6. Stevens Transport

7. Hirschbach Motor Lines

8. John Christner Trucking

9. TransAm Trucking Inc.

10. Navajo Express

The Top 10 Refrigerated Trucking Companies in the U.S.

Whether you’re looking to haul temperature-sensitive goods or start your own refrigerated trucking business, it’s important to understand the best companies. According to our research, these are the top ten most effective refrigerated trucking companies in the U.S.:

1. Prime Inc.

   Location: Springfield, Missouri (available nationwide)
   Revenue: $2.007 billion
   Number of Employees: 5,001 to 10,000 employees

   Prime Inc. is the largest U.S. refrigerated trucking company for a reason. The company has several facilities around the U.S., a wide variety of trucks that can accommodate many different types of cargo, and effective procedures for shipping in any weather/climate. All of those factors combined make Prime Inc. an excellent refrigerated trucking company.

2. C.R. England

   Location: Salt Lake City, Utah (with regional divisions)
   Revenue: $1.47 billion
   Number of Employees: 5,001 to 10,000 employees

   Specializing in the import and export of refrigerated goods, C.R. England is another of the largest refrigerated trucking companies in the U.S. Most commonly, the company works with foods and beverages and also services other countries like Mexico.

3. KLLM Transport Services

   Location: Richland, Mississippi (available in 48 states)
   Revenue: $936 million
   Number of Employees: 1,001 to 5,000 employees

   While a slightly smaller company, KLLM is well known for hasty, on-time deliveries. In fact, the company has a 98% on-time delivery rate. This is especially important given that they specialize in HazMat and chemical transport.

4. Marten Transport

   Location: Mondovi, Wisconsin (U.S., Canada, & Mexico)
   Revenue: $874 million
   Number of Employees: 1,001 to 5,000 employees

   Marten Transport is a bi-lingual refrigerated trucking company that offers extensive international shipping options in North America. One of this company’s best features is its up-to-date and impressively large fleet of 2,810 trucks. Overall, these trucks travel an average of 329 million miles annually.

5. Swift Refrigerated

   Location: Phoenix, Arizona (U.S., Canada & Mexico)
   Revenue: $755 million
   Number of Employees: More than 10,000 employees

   Swift Refrigerated is a huge U.S. trucking company that services all of North America. One of the best things about this company is its versatility, as Swift can ship any and all refrigerated goods of any size. Plus, as a massive company, Swift is available 24 hours per day, seven days per week, 365 days per year.

6. Stevens Transport

   Location: Dallas, Texas (available nationwide)
   Revenue: $737.3 million
   Number of Employees: 1,001 to 5,000 employees

   Known as a premium carrier, Steven’s Transport has won numerous awards for its services. In general, the company specializes in multi-lingual logistics across the southern border, international trade, as well as road and rail use (intermodal transport). This makes Steven’s Transport one of the most flexible refrigerated trucking companies on this list.

7. Hirschbach Motor Lines

   Location: Dubuque, Iowa (available in 48 states)
   Revenue: $533 million
   Number of Employees: 501 to 1,000 employees

   While Hirschbach has a small number of employees compared to other refrigerated trucking companies on this list, it nonetheless is one of the most profitable. That’s because it can ship almost any type of refrigerated freight with solutions for non-traditional trucking needs and fast, reliable service.

8. John Christner Trucking

   Location: Sapulpa, Oklahoma (available in 48 states)
   Revenue: $339 million
   Number of Employees: 501 to 1,000 employees

   John Christner Trucking is a family-owned refrigerated trucking company that specializes in energy-efficient, lightweight deliveries. Overall, one of the best things about this company is its exceptional ability to reduce idle time, which in turn, increases efficiency.

9. TransAm Trucking Inc.

   Location: Olathe, Kansas (Midwest, Northeast, Southeast)
   Revenue: $297 million
   Number of Employees: 1,001 to 5,000 employees

   While TransAm Trucking is a more regional company, servicing the middle and eastern regions of the United States, the company is still one of the best. TransAm is known for offering some of the best customer service and communication in the industry.

10. Navajo Express

    Location: Denver, Colorado (available in 49 states)
    Revenue: $127.82 million
    Number of Employees: 501 to 1,000 employees

    Another smaller company, Navajo Express, has incredible customer service and safety standards. On top of some of the best customer service reports, this company also specializes in having online tracking throughout services and having regular on-time deliveries.

What Is Refrigerated Trucking?

As the name would suggest, refrigerated trucking is a temperature-controlled form of shipping that aims to safely haul sensitive foods and products from one location to the next.

Refrigerated truck drivers with CDL licenses and trucking companies make use of special trailers, known as reefers, that have a built-in refrigeration system. This keeps all cargo temperature controlled in any weather, preventing them from degradation.

Common goods being shipped by reefers include:

• Fruits and vegetables

• Dairy products

• Meat and poultry

• Seafood

• Medicines

• Movie set props

• Flowers and Garden supplies

• Wine

• Military goods

• Disaster relief supplies

Given that all of these items need to be carefully temperature-controlled, refrigerated truck drivers and companies can face challenging and time-sensitive tasks during the shipping process. More than almost any other type of trucking, refrigerated trucking requires smooth, on-time deliveries, as well as employees who can follow directions carefully.

What Makes a Refrigerated Trucking Company Successful

Because the goods shipped by refrigerated trucking companies are sensitive, there are several practices that can make or break a company. To ensure success, the top refrigerated truck companies will:

Ensure Shipments are Monitored

Monitoring shipments while they’re in transit is vital for a successful refrigerated trucking company. Consider these two scenarios:

1. John is a reefer truck driver traveling from California to Texas with perishable goods. Unfortunately, halfway through his route, his reefer’s cooling system malfunctions and stops working.

   John doesn’t notice this because the truck’s monitoring systems are out of date and because he wasn’t paying attention. By the time he arrives in Texas, all of the goods are spoiled.

2. John consistently monitors his truck, which is up-to-date. When the system malfunctions, he immediately catches it and is able to phone for help. Luckily, almost all of the goods are safely preserved.

In these scenarios, one simply monitoring mistake can cost a company a fortune. Therefore, the best companies know that keeping an eye on reefers and keeping them up-to-date is of vital importance.

Load and Unload Reefers Quickly

Loading and unloading are crucial challenges for reefer truck drivers and companies.

Of course, because the cargo is temperature sensitive, it must be prepared for loading carefully to ensure no damage or spoilage. While at the same time, quickly loading should also be a priority. This means that those loading the truck must undergo a careful dance that balances haste with thoughtful actions.

Similarly, unloading must also be done as quickly and efficiently as possible. Most commonly, reefers units will continue to run during the loading and unloading process to ensure goods are kept temperature controlled for as long as possible.

Always Accurately Identify Shipping Needs

No two refrigerated goods are exactly the same, and every successful truck driver, refrigeration technician, and Owner-Operator knows this. With that in mind, it’s vital that the needs of every product be identified before the shipping process begins.

For example, medical supplies may need to be shipped at a different temperature than food supplies. Additionally, oranges may have several days to be shipped, while bio-organisms might only have one day.

Overall, considering the specific needs of each and every type of cargo is crucial for a successful refrigerated trucking haul.

Refrigerated Trucking Company FAQ

1. Who is the largest refrigerated trucking company?

   Prime Inc. is the largest refrigerated trucking company based in the U.S. Overall, the company had $2.007 billion in revenue in 2020 and has a whopping 6,500 trucks and 11,700 temperature-controlled trailers.

   Other companies among the top ten largest in the U.S. (by revenue) include:

   • C.R. England ($1.47 billion)

   • KLLM Transport Services ($936 million)

   • Marten Transport ($874 million)

   • Swift Refrigerated ($755 million)

   • Stevens Transport ($737.3 million)

   • Hirschbach Motor Lines ($533 million)

   • John Christner Trucking ($339 million)

   • TransAm Trucking ($297 million)

   • Black Horse Carriers ($280.5 million)

2. Can reefer trailers be used to ship goods that don’t need to be temperature controlled?

   Yes, reefer trailers can be used to ship goods that don’t need to be temperature controlled. Reefer trailers can easily be used to transport goods that don’t need to be temperature controlled, and this is a very common practice.

   However, it’s also important to ensure that the reefer’s temperature control settings are off so your shipment doesn’t become damaged by humidity or cold temperatures.

3. What industries use refrigerated trucks?

   There are several major industries that rely on refrigerated trucks for regular deliveries.

   These industries include:

   • Restaurant/Foodservice Industry. Restaurants regularly need shipments of meat, seafood, fruits, vegetables, and other related goods. All of these goods need to arrive fresh and safe to eat, so temperature-controlled shipping is vital.

   • Grocery Industry. Similar to restaurants, grocery stores also need fresh produce, meat, dairy, juice, etc. These items must be shipped fresh and temperature controlled so they can be unloaded into grocery freezers and refrigerators.

   • Pharmaceutical/Healthcare Industry. Many important medicines and pieces of medical equipment also need to be temperature controlled. Therefore, many hospitals and pharmacies also rely on refrigerated trucking.

   • Museum/Art Gallery Industry. Fine art and archaeological artifacts, especially old historical pieces, are very fragile and sensitive to temperature. With that in mind, these industries regularly rely on refrigerated trucking to safely transport pieces from one place to the next.

   • Military Industry. The U.S. military also relies on medicines, food, and other temperature-sensitive equipment to function. Therefore, this industry also relies on refrigerated trucking.

4. Do temperature-controlled goods have to be packaged differently?

   Sometimes temperature-controlled goods need to be packaged differently. This is because these goods are often fragile and need to be packaged with care. For example, a shipment of grapes will be packaged much differently than a shipment of lumber. The grapes are delicate and must be packaged more carefully.

5. Can frozen items be shipped through refrigerated trucking?

   Yes, frozen items can be shipped through refrigerated trucking. If the temperature inside the truck needs to be further reduced, gel coolants and dry ice are often used to accomplish that. With those additional cooling measures, most frozen goods can be shipped through refrigerated trucking.

Final Thoughts

Refrigerated trucking companies are the backbone of many industries in the U.S., and their success relies on careful, calculated management.

Overall, for large companies like Prime Inc. or KLLM Transport Services to be successful, they rely on ensuring shipments are monitored, loading and unloading cautiously and quickly, and accurately identifying shipping needs.

With these skills, these companies continue to ensure that temperature-sensitive goods like food, beverages, medical supplies, and more are safely delivered to all of the places they need to be.