Refrigerated LTL rates in seconds, not phone calls
Most shippers find a reefer LTL carrier by calling around. In the platform you enter the lane, temperature and pallets, and rates from refrigerated LTL carriers come back side by side, next to your dry LTL and truckload options.
Short answer: Reefer LTL (refrigerated less-than-truckload) moves a few temperature-controlled pallets on a shared refrigerated trailer, so you don't pay for a full reefer truck. In the GetShippingRates platform you choose chilled, frozen or ambient, enter pallets and weight, and compare rates from reefer LTL carriers instantly; your Armstrong team confirms the booking.
How a reefer LTL quote works
Lane and temperature
Origin and destination ZIP, pickup date, and chilled, frozen or ambient (temperature-protected) service.
Freight details
Commodity (foodstuffs, produce, seafood, ice cream, alcohol), pallets, weight, food-grade and stackable, plus liftgate, driver loading or inside delivery.
Compare and book
Rates from reefer carriers come back sorted by price with estimated delivery dates. Pick one and your Armstrong team confirms it with the carrier.
Built for temperature-controlled freight
Chilled, frozen or ambient
Three temperature ranges cover fresh food, frozen product and freight that just can't freeze or overheat.
Food-grade options
Flag food-grade equipment and stackability so carriers price the trailer you actually need.
Accessorials up front
Liftgate, driver loading and unloading, inside, limited-access and nighttime delivery are priced in the quote, not after the fact.
Side by side with dry LTL
Ambient freight might not need a reefer at all. Switch tabs and compare against dry LTL with protect-from-freeze.
Tracked with everything else
Reefer loads appear on the Control Tower next to your LTL and truckload shipments.
A team that knows reefer
Armstrong handles appointments, temperature questions and claims with the carrier for you.
See it on your own lanes
In 15 minutes we quote your real lanes across the modes you ship, show the Control Tower and booking flow, and answer questions about setup. Accounts are set up after a quick credit check, and there’s no software to install.
More of the platform
Questions we hear
What is reefer LTL?
Refrigerated less-than-truckload: a few pallets of temperature-controlled freight sharing a reefer trailer with other shippers' freight. It costs less than a full reefer truck when you have one to about a dozen pallets.
How much does reefer LTL cost?
It depends on lane, pallets, weight and temperature. Reefer LTL usually costs more than dry LTL because fewer carriers run refrigerated LTL networks. The fastest way to know is to price your lane in the platform.
Can I book reefer LTL online?
You get instant rates online. Pick the carrier and your Armstrong team confirms the pickup with them, usually the same day.
When should I use a full reefer truckload instead?
Once you're past roughly 10–12 pallets or close to a full trailer's weight, a reefer truckload is often cheaper. The platform's truckload tab prices reefer trucks too, so you can compare.