Get Ready for Winter: All About Heated Freight Transportation

While the weather along the Vancouver coastline may be balmy, the rest of Canada is well known for some rude weather. At the time of this writing, Vancouver Island is prepared for a major winter storm complete with cold temperatures, rain, and high winds. 

Those in the shipping and logistics business have to make preparations every year to keep the freight they have been entrusted with at the right temperature. There are different ways to do this, and that’s what we’re going to talk about in today’s blog article. 

Heated Transport 

Heated transport, also known as “protect from freeze” service is what it sounds like. The shipper is tasked with making sure the commodity does not freeze in cold weather. So, essentially, you run a heater unit in the trailer or container that will prevent the contents from freezing. This is a service more commonly seen in Canada (at higher latitudes where the weather is typically colder) than seen below the border in the US. 

Heated trailers do not have the same amount and type of insulation as reefer trailers. So, heated trailers can only heat, not cool and not maintain a specific temperature but rather within a range.

Reefer Trailers 

Reefer trailers are more heavily insulated and are designed to keep commodities cool or even maintain freezing temperatures within a narrow range. For example, if you are shipping frozen fish, or liquor then you need a pretty exact temperature for shipping. It is easier to regulate specific temperatures within a reefer trailers. 

Overall, this is called temperature-controlled shipping services, and it’s a very important part of shipping temperature-sensitive items. Some freight ships temperature-controlled all year round—like pharmaceuticals. Some freight only needs temperature control in the fall—like now—to keep the cold weather from damaging products. 

Pacific Coast Distribution, based in Langley, BC, on the Lower Mainland has long experience with managing temperature-controlled shipments. If this is what you need, and you’re nervous about the incoming bad weather, we can help you with your shipping needs, including LTL and FTL carrier services. Call us at (877) 999-8489 if you need help moving your products quickly and efficiently this winter. We work with each client individually to find the best and most efficient solution for their products.

Pacific Coast Distribution, LTD, is a family-owned transportation and logistics company, based in Langley, British Columbia, with 20 years of experience and a fleet of 50 trucks and a 60,000-square-foot warehouse. 

If you have any questions about this article or would like to talk to us about your transportation and freight needs, give us a call at (877) 999-8489.