Refrigerated Freight
Refrigerated Freight & Produce Logistics
Temperature-sensitive freight needs more planning, tighter communication, and carriers who understand the equipment.
Why It Is Different
When freight has a temperature, every delay costs more
Dry freight can often absorb a late pickup or a missed message. Fresh produce and other perishables cannot. A reefer trailer has a required temperature, a limited window, and a receiver with a dock appointment. When any one of those slips, the product pays for it.
That is why Blanton plans every refrigerated load around three things: clear requirements up front, qualified carriers, and communication that continues until the load is delivered.
Our Approach
How we plan refrigerated freight
What follows describes how Blanton plans to operate once its brokerage authority is active.
Temperature-controlled freight transportation
Temperature-controlled transportation moves freight in a refrigerated trailer, often called a reefer, that holds a required temperature from pickup to delivery. Requirements vary by commodity, from chilled to frozen, and are set by the shipper and written on the load paperwork.
Fresh produce and perishables
Fruit, vegetables, and other fresh products are sensitive to heat, cold damage, and time in transit. Blanton plans produce loads around the commodity's required temperature range, the pickup window, and the receiver's delivery appointment.
Refrigerated truckload transportation
A refrigerated truckload moves a full trailer for one shipper from origin to destination. Blanton is an asset-light brokerage. It will arrange these loads with qualified third-party carriers and does not move freight on its own trucks.
Temperature requirements and handling instructions
Before a truck is assigned, the shipper's set-point, pre-cooling expectations, and handling instructions will be confirmed and written into the rate confirmation. Typical items include the required temperature, whether the refrigeration unit runs continuously or cycles, trailer pre-cool, and seal or load-securement requirements.
Pickup and delivery appointment coordination
Most produce shippers and receivers run on appointments, and a missed window can mean long waits or a refused load. Blanton plans to confirm appointment times with both ends before dispatch and to raise delays with the shipper and carrier as soon as they are known.
Carrier qualification and verification
Blanton plans to verify each carrier's operating authority and insurance, confirm contact details independently, and check equipment before a rate confirmation is released. New carriers are vetted the same way as established ones. See how carriers work with us.
Shipment communication and status updates
Shippers will be told what is happening, not left to ask. Blanton plans to confirm pickup, flag delays, and confirm delivery, with update frequency agreed with each shipper up front. Tracking depends on the carrier and the tools available on a given load, so no specific tracking method is promised.
Temperature excursions and exception escalation
If a temperature reading is off, a refrigeration unit alarms, or a load is delayed or refused, speed matters. Blanton plans to escalate exceptions to the shipper and carrier immediately and to keep a record of what was reported and when. Blanton does not guarantee against spoilage, and claims are handled under the carrier agreement and applicable law.
Seasonal produce shipping considerations
Produce volume is seasonal. Movement through southern Arizona tends to build in the cooler months, when winter-season crops are being harvested and imported, and truck availability can tighten when demand spikes. Early notice of expected volume helps. Capacity cannot be guaranteed in any season.
Southwest freight market knowledge
Blanton is based in Tucson and is building its knowledge of the Southwest freight market, starting with Southern Arizona and the Nogales produce corridor. Phoenix, New Mexico, Utah, Nevada, and Southern California are initial target markets.
Start to Finish
How a refrigerated load will be coordinated
A simple, repeatable sequence. The same steps apply to every shipper and every carrier.
- Requirements intakeCommodity, temperature range, origin and destination, appointment windows, and equipment needs.
- Carrier qualificationOperating authority, insurance, and identity verified before a carrier is considered.
- Written rate confirmationTerms, temperature, and handling instructions in writing before dispatch.
- Pickup coordinationAppointment confirmed, with the set-point and trailer pre-cool as instructed.
- In-transit communicationUpdates shared on the schedule agreed with the shipper.
- Exception escalationProblems raised immediately to the shipper and carrier.
- Delivery and paperworkDelivery confirmed and proof of delivery collected.
What Blanton is
An asset-light freight brokerage that arranges refrigerated transportation with qualified third-party carriers, built on professional coordination, disciplined process, and long-term relationships.
What Blanton does not claim
Blanton does not own trucks, trailers, warehouses, or refrigeration equipment. It does not promise guaranteed capacity, uninterrupted tracking, zero spoilage, or specific delivery outcomes, and it will not book freight until operating authority is active.
Discuss your refrigerated freight
If you ship produce or other temperature-sensitive freight in the Southwest, we would like to hear how you move it today.