Blog / Oct 2, 2025
Cold-Chain Best Practices: Five Things We Check Before a Reefer Leaves the Yard
A pre-trip checklist that has kept our reefer claims under 0.2% for three years running. Pull-down times, pulp temps, seal logs and more.
October 2, 2025 · 7 min read · by the Klein dispatch team
Our reefer cargo claim rate has stayed under 0.2% for three years running. It is not luck. It is a five-item checklist that every Klein driver runs before a reefer rolls.
- Pre-cool to setpoint for 30 minutes minimum. Loading a 38°F box into a 70°F trailer is the most common cold-chain mistake we see. The unit should hit setpoint and hold it before product touches the floor.
- Pulp temp at loading. Driver records pulp temp of three pallets — front, middle, back — and notes them on the BOL. If anything is more than 2°F off setpoint at load, we call the shipper before sealing.
- Continuous-mode vs. cycle-sentry. For produce, dairy and pharma, we run continuous. Cycle-sentry saves fuel but lets the box swing 4–6°F.
- Seal log photographed at every stop. A photo of the seal with the BOL number visible, timestamped on the driver's phone.
- Download the temp log at delivery. Carrier and Thermo King units both produce a downloadable temperature graph. We pull it at delivery and attach it to the POD.
Need help with a load? Call dispatch at +1 (678) 756-1908 or request a quote.