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Food and temperature · how to ship

How to ship produce

The right mode, how to prepare it, what drives the price and the mistakes that cost money. Best modes: Reefer LTL, Reefer truckload.

Short answer: Ship a few pallets of produce by reefer LTL and full loads by reefer truckload. Pre-cool the product to its shipping temperature before loading (the trailer holds temperature, it doesn't pull it down), set the exact temperature on the bill of lading, and don't mix items that need different temperatures or give off ethylene.

Updated November 3, 2026 · By the GetShippingRates team at Armstrong Transport Group

Step by step

Preparing produce for shipping

  1. Pre-cool produce to its carrying temperature.
  2. Palletize with air channels so cold air circulates.
  3. Write the set point (for example 34°F) and continuous or cycle mode on the BOL.
  4. Keep ethylene producers like apples apart from sensitive items like lettuce.
  5. Get a temperature record at delivery.
Cost

What drives the price

  • Reefer vs dry: refrigerated capacity costs more
  • Season: produce season tightens reefer trucks
  • Pallet count and weight
  • Lumper fees at grocery warehouses

For real prices see pallet shipping cost, the freight rate index and reefer shipping cost.

Avoid these

Mistakes that cost money

  • Loading warm product and expecting the trailer to cool it.
  • No temperature on the BOL.
  • Mixing incompatible products in one load.

More food and temperature guides

Frequently asked questions

What is reefer LTL?

Refrigerated less-than-truckload: your pallets share a temperature-controlled trailer with other shippers' freight at the same temperature range.

How cold is a reefer trailer?

Reefers hold any set point from about -20°F to 70°F. Chilled produce usually ships at 32 to 40°F.

When should I use a full reefer truck?

Above about 8 to 12 pallets, or for product that can't share space, a reefer truckload is usually the better buy.

More shipping cost guides

  • Shipping cost calculator — Billable weight for parcel, LTL, truckload, air and ocean, the mode that fits, and a dated LTL price range.
  • Pallet shipping cost — What 1 to 12 pallets cost to ship by LTL, by distance, from 97,000+ real shipments.
  • Freight shipping rates — How each mode is priced, and LTL price per 100 lb by weight and distance from real shipments.
  • LTL vs truckload — Where LTL stops making sense: pallet counts, weight, linear feet and transit, with real LTL prices.
  • Air freight rates — How air cargo is priced: chargeable weight, weight breaks, surcharges and door-to-door charges.
  • Ocean freight rates — FCL vs LCL, container sizes, revenue tons and every charge on an ocean freight quote.
  • Freight rate index — Median all-in truckload price per mile by equipment, distance and city, from hundreds of priced lanes.
  • Reefer shipping cost — What refrigerated LTL and reefer truckloads cost, from real quotes on 16 lanes.
  • White glove delivery cost — Curbside to white glove with assembly: what the two-person delivery leg costs in 16 US cities.
  • Broker vs. carrier direct — When a direct carrier contract beats a broker, and when it doesn't.
  • Volume LTL vs. partial truckload — The 6-to-18-pallet gray zone: how each is priced and handled.
  • Where to get a freight quote — Carrier sites, marketplaces, brokers and instant-rate platforms compared.
  • How to ship anything — Mode, packaging, freight class and cost drivers for furniture, machinery, produce, hazmat and more.
  • Shipping to Mexico — Cross-border freight: border crossings, the documents each side needs, and the US leg's real cost.
Live quote

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Pick the mode, enter the lane and freight, and see live rates in seconds where the mode supports it. Armstrong Transport Group's team handles the rest.

Prefer to talk? Call 877-240-1181 or email info@getshippingrates.com. Shipping several modes? Request a free multimodal shipping review.

Reefer LTL quote

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  3. 3 Contact
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