Bear Shift Temperature-controlled · arranged with vetted carriers
Refrigerated freight arranged case by case
Refrigerated (reefer) freight in Washington needs the right trailer, a working refrigeration unit and a carrier that knows how to run it. We look for that carrier one shipment at a time. Bear Shift is a licensed freight broker; the reefer carrier operates the equipment and hauls your load under its own authority.
How reefer loads work with us
Temperature-controlled trucks, arranged case by case: tell us the temperature range and, for food, its sanitary requirements, and we confirm in writing before booking whether we can arrange it. We would rather say no up front than book a truck that cannot hold your product where it needs to be.
A refrigerated trailer, or reefer, has its own unit that cools or heats the cargo box. The carrier sets the temperature written on the bill of lading, pre-cools the trailer before loading when the product calls for it, and runs the unit in continuous or cycle mode as instructed. Many reefer units record the temperature during the trip; if you need that record, ask us for it when you request the price.
Freight that travels in a reefer
- Fresh produce, dairy, meat and seafood that must stay chilled from the plant to the next dock.
- Frozen food and ice cream that must stay frozen the whole way.
- Beverages, flowers and plants that suffer in heat or cold.
- Latex paint, some adhesives and other water-based products that must not freeze in winter.
From request to delivery
- You tell us the product, the temperature range, the pallet count and weight, and the pickup and delivery dates.
- We reply in writing whether we can arrange it and send a price for you to approve.
- We book a reefer carrier and put the setpoint and any pre-cooling instruction on the bill of lading.
- You follow the load with a tracking link and get the proof of delivery, including any temperature notes from the receiver.
What we need to quote a cold load
Give us the exact range, for example a setpoint plus or minus a few degrees, and say whether the product is fresh or frozen and whether the unit should run continuously. For food, tell us the sanitary requirements the receiver expects, such as a clean, odor-free trailer or a box pre-cooled at loading. Add the pallet count, the weight, the pickup and delivery locations and the appointment times.
Before you book
Load the product at the temperature it should travel at: a reefer is built to keep cold freight cold, not to pull down the temperature of warm product. Waiting time at a dock, a truck ordered and not used or an extra stop are billed under the terms of your quote. If the receiver checks the product temperature at the dock, mention it when you book, so the driver expects it.
Need a cold or frozen load priced?
Refrigerated freight questions
Do you confirm before booking?
Yes. Reefer loads are handled case by case: once we know the product, the range and the dates, we tell you in writing whether we can arrange a suitable carrier, and only then, with your approval, do we book anything.
What temperature can you arrange?
The range your product needs, as long as we find a carrier whose unit can hold it for the whole trip. Tell us the setpoint, how much variation is acceptable and whether the unit should run continuously or cycle. The carrier operates the unit; we put your instructions on the bill of lading.
Can you arrange frozen products?
Yes, case by case. Frozen loads need a carrier whose unit holds below-freezing temperatures and a trailer pre-cooled before loading. Tell us the setpoint and the product, and we confirm in writing whether a suitable carrier is available for your dates.