Temperature-Controlled Freight Solutions
F&T Freight's refrigerated transport service provides reliable cold chain logistics for businesses that handle perishable, temperature-sensitive, or pharmaceutical products. Our refrigerated vehicles maintain precise temperature ranges throughout transit, ensuring your products arrive in optimal condition regardless of external weather conditions.
From fresh produce and dairy products to frozen goods and pharmaceutical supplies, we understand that temperature integrity is non-negotiable. A single break in the cold chain can result in spoiled products, compliance violations, and significant financial loss. Our refrigerated fleet, monitoring systems, and trained drivers work together to eliminate these risks.
Temperature Ranges
Our refrigerated vehicles are capable of maintaining a wide range of temperatures to suit different product requirements. Each unit is calibrated and tested regularly to ensure consistent performance.
- Frozen: -25°C to -18°C for frozen foods, ice cream, and frozen pharmaceuticals
- Chilled: 0°C to 4°C for fresh meat, dairy, and fresh produce
- Cool: 4°C to 8°C for beverages, confectionery, and certain chemicals
- Controlled Ambient: 15°C to 25°C for chocolates, candles, and temperature-sensitive cosmetics
Multi-temperature compartment vehicles are available for shipments requiring different temperature zones on the same delivery run.
Cold Chain Monitoring & Compliance
Maintaining an unbroken cold chain requires more than just a working refrigeration unit. It demands continuous monitoring, documented processes, and trained personnel who understand the importance of temperature integrity at every stage of the logistics process.
Real-Time Temperature Monitoring
Continuous temperature logging throughout transit with alerts triggered if temperature deviates from the prescribed range.
Temperature Reports
Detailed temperature logs provided with each delivery showing the complete thermal history of your consignment during transit.
HACCP Compliance
Our processes align with HACCP food safety principles. Vehicles are cleaned and sanitised between loads according to documented procedures.
Trained Drivers
All refrigerated transport drivers receive specific training in cold chain management, pre-trip unit checks, and product handling protocols.
Industries We Support
Our refrigerated transport service is utilised by businesses across a broad range of sectors where temperature control is essential to product quality and regulatory compliance.
Food and Beverage: We transport fresh produce, dairy products, meat, seafood, frozen foods, baked goods, and beverages for producers, distributors, and retailers throughout Queensland. Our schedules accommodate early-morning market deliveries, restaurant supply runs, and supermarket replenishment programmes.
Pharmaceutical and Healthcare: Temperature-sensitive medications, vaccines, biological samples, and medical supplies require strict thermal management. Our vehicles meet the requirements for transporting TGA-regulated products, and we maintain documentation standards that satisfy audit requirements.
Floral and Horticulture: Cut flowers and live plants require controlled temperatures to maintain freshness and quality. We provide gentle handling and appropriate temperature settings to ensure horticultural products reach their destination in peak condition.
Chemical and Cosmetics: Certain chemicals, cosmetics, and personal care products require controlled ambient temperatures to prevent degradation. We provide stable thermal environments for these sensitive products during transit.
Vehicle Fleet & Capabilities
Our refrigerated fleet consists of modern vehicles fitted with reliable refrigeration units from leading manufacturers. Regular preventive maintenance ensures maximum uptime and consistent performance. Key fleet specifications include:
- Rigid refrigerated trucks (1-tonne to 14-tonne payload capacity)
- Refrigerated semi-trailers for larger interstate and bulk consignments
- Multi-temperature compartment vehicles for mixed-temperature loads
- Standby refrigeration capability for backup during loading/unloading
- Electric standby units for overnight temperature maintenance at depots
- Insulated curtain-side vehicles for ambient-controlled less-than-load freight
All refrigeration units are serviced according to manufacturer specifications, and backup contingency vehicles are maintained to ensure service continuity in the event of mechanical issues.
Pre-Cool and Loading Protocols
Proper temperature management begins before your goods are loaded. Our standard operating procedure requires all refrigerated vehicles to be pre-cooled to the required temperature before arrival at the collection point. Drivers verify the unit temperature upon arrival and record it in the consignment documentation.
During loading, drivers monitor door-open time to minimise temperature rise within the cargo space. For frozen goods, we implement rapid loading procedures and may utilise strip curtains to maintain temperature when multiple access events are required. These protocols are particularly important during Queensland's warmer months when ambient temperatures can exceed 35°C.
"Temperature integrity is non-negotiable for our pharmaceutical products. F&T Freight's cold chain monitoring gives us complete confidence that our goods are maintained at the correct temperature throughout transit. Their documentation and compliance records are exactly what our auditors require."
— Pharmaceutical Distribution CompanyRefrigerated Transport — Common Questions
Our refrigerated fleet operates across a wide temperature spectrum from -25°C (deep frozen) to +25°C (ambient controlled). Common operating temperatures include -18°C for frozen goods, +2°C to +8°C for chilled products, and +15°C to +25°C for temperature-sensitive items that require protection from heat.
Every refrigerated vehicle is fitted with continuous data-logging temperature recorders that sample at regular intervals throughout the journey. Our operations team can access real-time temperature readings remotely. If temperature deviates from the set range, automated alerts are triggered immediately for corrective action.
Yes. We provide detailed temperature log reports for every refrigerated consignment on request. These reports show time-stamped temperature readings throughout the entire journey, suitable for compliance audits, quality assurance documentation, and customer verification requirements.
Some of our vehicles feature multi-temperature compartments that allow simultaneous transport of frozen and chilled goods at different temperatures on the same vehicle. This is particularly useful for food service distributors who supply both frozen and fresh products to the same delivery points.
Our temperature monitoring system detects unit failures immediately. In the event of a malfunction, our operations team is alerted instantly and a contingency plan is activated — typically involving transfer of goods to a backup vehicle or immediate return to our temperature-controlled facility. Regular preventive maintenance minimises the likelihood of unit failure.
Protect Your Cold Chain
Talk to us about your refrigerated transport requirements. We provide tailored cold chain solutions with full temperature accountability.
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