Refrigeration Monitoring: An End-to-End Approach

GPS fleet tracking and refrigeration monitoring make a great team.

The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) requires carriers and shippers to monitor the temperatures of refrigerated foods. Thanks to telematics, it’s possible to monitor the internal temperature of a reefer trailer — and the performance of the reefer unit itself — all in real time and from a central location.

But that doesn’t mean it’s time to break out the Popsicles and ice cream.

To effectively manage a refrigerated operation under the current rules, it’s necessary to take a true end-to-end approach. It’s not enough to just monitor reefer performance while in transit.

The Importance of Pre-Cooling

Trailers get hot in the summer. That’s why it’s essential to monitor the temp of the inside of the truck before loading. Use the monitoring system to confirm that the trailer (or box) is at the right temp before hitting the depot. No one wants to have to wait for the truck to cool down before loading.

Trust, But Verify

Shippers are required to keep temps at a proper level before loading. However, the change in custody of that load of cheese or carrots is a moment when discipline can slip. Drivers need to manually check the temps of refrigerated loads (perhaps every other pallet) as they’re loaded. These temps should be noted on the bill of lading. Out-of-range temps should result in the rejection of the load. Reefer units are not designed to cool loads down to their proper temps, just maintain the load at a safe temp during transit.

Mind the Defrost Cycle

The defrost cycle is a period used by the reefer unit to defrost the coils — the things that freeze-up thanks to internal humidity in the trailer. Drivers can adjust the defrost cycle to be more frequent based on the moisture of a load and the number of door-openings, though this reduces cooling efficiency. A good refrigeration monitoring system will tell dispatch when the unit is in defrost mode, and how much time it’s spending there.

Keep it Cool with CyntrX

CyntrX offers solutions for reefer monitoring that fully integrate with our fleet-tracking platform. Download the data sheet here to get all the details.

You can also request a free demo below and learn more about our refrigeration monitoring solutions.