What Are Reefer Trucks and Trailers? A Complete Guide

From fresh produce and frozen food to pharmaceuticals, some products need reliable temperature control from pickup to delivery. Reefer trucks and trailers help make that possible.

Here are answers to common questions about how refrigerated transportation works, typical sizes and capacity, and how road-based equipment compares with reefer containers.

What are reefer trucks?

Reefer trucks, short for refrigerated trucks, combine an insulated cargo area with a transport refrigeration unit (TRU) that maintains required temperatures during transportation.

Unlike passive systems that rely primarily on insulation or cold packs, reefer trucks actively control the cargo environment throughout the route.

What are reefer trailers?

Reefer trailers are insulated trailers equipped with a transport refrigeration unit. Instead of being part of the vehicle itself, the trailer connects to a tractor for transportation.

This makes reefer trailers well suited for moving fresh, frozen, and other temperature-sensitive products over short or long distances.

How do reefer trucks and trailers work?

A transport refrigeration unit circulates conditioned air through the insulated cargo space. The compressor, condenser, expansion valve, and evaporator work together to remove heat and maintain the required temperature.

Insulation helps limit heat transfer from outside, while proper airflow helps distribute conditioned air throughout the cargo area.

What are common reefer trailer dimensions, weight, and capacity?

Reefer trailer dimensions vary by equipment and application. Standard long-haul refrigerated trailers are commonly 48 to 53 feet long, about 8.5 feet wide, and about 13.5 feet high.

Internal dimensions are smaller because insulation and refrigeration components take up space. Proper loading is also important. Leaving space for airflow helps the refrigeration system maintain the required conditions throughout the load.

What are common reefer truck sizes and capacities?

Reefer truck sizes range from smaller vehicles for local deliveries to larger straight trucks used for regional distribution.

The right reefer truck capacity depends on cargo volume, route, temperature requirements, and number of stops. Refrigeration capacity should also be matched to the application, not just the physical size of the cargo area.

What products are transported in reefer trucks and trailers?

Reefer trucks and trailers transport a wide range of products, including fresh and frozen foods, produce, dairy products, pharmaceuticals, and other goods that require controlled temperatures.

Some applications also use multi-temperature refrigeration systems, so different cargo areas can maintain different set points during the same route.

What are reefer truck services?

Reefer truck services are refrigerated transportation services used to move products that require controlled temperatures. They can include local distribution, regional delivery, and long-haul transportation.

Reliable service depends on more than refrigeration alone. Proper equipment selection, maintenance, and temperature monitoring all contribute to successful refrigerated transportation.

What is the difference between a reefer trailer and a reefer container?

The primary difference is how they travel. Reefer trailers are designed primarily for road transportation, while refrigerated containers can move by road, rail, and sea as part of an intermodal transportation system.

Reefer containers are typically built to standardized ISO dimensions, including common 20-foot and 40-foot sizes. Their standardized design allows the same container to move between different transportation modes without unloading the cargo.

How does reefer container size compare with a reefer trailer?

Reefer container size is based on standardized ISO dimensions, with 20-foot and 40-foot containers among the most common. Long-haul reefer trailers are commonly 48 or 53 feet long.

Size is only one consideration. The transportation route, cargo requirements, and modes of travel will help determine whether a truck, trailer, or container is the better fit.

How can fleets improve reefer reliability and visibility?

Preventive maintenance helps keep refrigeration equipment operating reliably and can limit unexpected downtime.

Connected fleet tools can add visibility to temperatures, alarms and unit status, helping teams identify potential issues and respond quickly.

How do you choose the right refrigerated transportation solution?

Start with what you're transporting and where it's going. Temperature requirements, load size, route length, transportation modes, and delivery needs all help determine the right equipment.

Thermo King® offers temperature-control solutions for trucks, trailers, and specialized refrigerated containers, providing options for different cargo and transportation requirements.