Vehicle-based logistics maintaining specific temperature ranges throughout transit, regardless of external conditions or journey duration. This encompasses both refrigerated (cooling) and heated transport, though frozen food logistics focuses on refrigeration. Temperature-controlled transport requires specialized vehicles, monitoring equipment, trained drivers, maintenance programs, and operational protocols. Effective systems maintain ±2°C variance from target temperatures, provide continuous monitoring and documentation, and include contingency plans for equipment failures. In South Africa’s diverse climate zones, temperature-controlled transport must manage extreme heat, altitude variations, and long distances while ensuring compliance with food safety regulations and client specifications. Professional temperature-controlled transport treats physics as non-negotiable – systems are engineered for worst-case conditions rather than optimistically sized for average scenarios. The Frozen Food Courier implements SANS 10156:2014 specifications including pre-cooling vehicles to within 5°C of product storage temperature before loading, maintaining continuous temperature monitoring throughout transit, and ensuring proper airflow management around products during loading using Coldwatch monitoring systems providing continuous tracking and immediate alert capability.
Related Terms: Reefer Vehicle, Transport Refrigeration Unit (TRU), Mechanical Refrigeration, SANS 10156:2014
Related Articles: Maintaining the Cold Chain