Trailer vs. Truck
Honestly, both are great, but a portable refrigerated trailer and a refrigerated truck really have different uses. As a manufacturer and distributor of temporary refrigeration and freezer trailers, we understand the different advantages of freezer trailers vs. freezer trucks. So let the Cold War begin and we will show you the benefits and advantages.
When you have a need to keep something refrigerated or frozen for a short or temporary time, your decision on what to rent really should be based on your use. Most small businesses think immediately about renting a refrigerated truck because that’s what we see on the roads all the time. If you need something cold delivered to your business, it typically comes in a refer truck, either a super large one or a small van or truck. The refer trucks are everywhere so often when a small restaurant owner or other business has an emergency or planned need, they call the truck rental companies to help with through their temporary freezer or refrigeration crisis or issue.
Let’s get to the cold hard facts about when it’s best to call Keep It Cold™ for a temporary refrigerated trailer vs. one of the big refrigerator truck rental companies. Here are a dozen reasons to rent a refrigerated trailer vs. refrigerator truck.
- Uses 110v Electric Power – Our refrigerator trailers can be plugged into any 110v 20 amp plug at your business. Refer trucks you rent are powered from the truck engine or some large refer trucks even have a separate gas power motor. The challenge when using gas powered engines is the runtime varies with the various trucks so you must be aware of fuel levels during your use. Seriously, no gas, no cold! But the constant worrying may just give you indigestion.
- Much Quieter to Operate – Our refrigerator trailers are quiet (around 65 decibels). Trucks are noisy! We like to think of our trailers as just chillin’ quietly behind you place of business while the refer trucks are bringing the highway noise to your backdoor!
- No Gas Fumes – Our refrigerated trailers are fume free; they are electric powered. The refrigerated portion of the truck used the truck engine for power and obviously gas or diesel fumes are everywhere when it parked at your location.
- No electricity, no problem – Our portable rental trailers can operate with a generator if needed. It’s not ideal but you have the choice. The good news is that you can use a quiet generator and with a 50’ extension cord and move the generator behind a wall or away from where you are working. No one wants to hear or smell the fumes from a gas-powered engine. Btw, we have generators available to rent. At Keep It Cold™, we will hook you up many ways.
- Much Better Workflow – Our refrigerator and freezers feel like a typical commercial walk-in unit you would have at a restaurant or other small business, so they are the perfect temporary solution. Actually they feel like a typical walk-in refrigerator because the founder of our company has operated a large catering company for 25 years. The doors, handles, emergency release, lighting, etc. make you feel at home your flow will almost be the same. A typical truck feels like a delivery truck with liftgates and huge cargo doors to load full pallets of product for delivery. And obviously, they are delivery trucks, and they are better for that need if you need to make 20 deliveries a day around your community.
Holding Capacity – Truck cargo space is bigger but that’s not necessarily an advantage unless you need to store 10+ pallets of food! If you need commercial sized refrigerator or freezer that is what we provide in various sizes. We can better match your capacity needs to 4 different units (it will be 5 very soon) and with these various sizes it will be more workflow efficient and cost efficient.
Space Requirements – Again, refrigerated trucks are big and tall and will take up a large space by your kitchen back door. Our most popular 12” trailer fits comfortably in a single parking space conveniently located to your backdoor. We have seen our clients have to walk 100’ from the backdoor when using even a small refer truck.
Safer Entry Step – Our freezer and refrigerated trailers all have a very sturdy built in step. Our trailers also have special axles allowing for a low step. These features will enable a quicker workflow during crunch times and it safer for your employees. Most trucks have a 3’ high bed and a liftgate or ramp. Improper use of liftgates can cause serious injury and long ramps take up valuable space and can be dangerous for the unfamiliar. Delivery people fly up and down ramps with a dolly but that’s their job. But frankly, a typical untrained hourly employee on a liftgate or loading ramp may end up injured..
Safety Lighting – Our refrigerated trailers and freezers all have outdoor lighting with user safety in mind. Our low steps are lit for nice use and well as our back door handle. Our cold rooms have interior led lighting. Delivery trucks typically do not do nighttime deliveries, but we know our customers work day and night and we do have very cool lighting!
Delivery and Pick-up – When you rent a portable refrigerated trailer from us, we always deliver and set-up it for you. We understand that when you are renting a refrigerated trailer it’s either because you have an emergency or are very busy with an upcoming event. So, we make it easy for you rent with us with a phone call, paying online, and then delivering when and where you need the temporary refrigerated or freezer trailer to your location. Typically, the refer truck companies require you to come down, sign paperwork, and pick up the truck rental. Seems like a wasting valuable work time for your busy employees to pick up the truck and drive it to your place of business. Remember someone must drive your employee to get the rental truck too. Also driving a large refer truck adds risk and liability by driving on the highway. And there’s a little irony too, the refer truck designed for delivering cold products is not delivered to you! Finally, we will pick up the trailer, no need to send two employees on the road again to return the truck.
Appearance – We understand what that what’s on the inside is what really counts when it comes to keeping it cold, but let’s face, appearance does make an impression. We pride ourselves in always delivering a clean and beautiful refrigerated trailer to your location. We take great pride in our refrigerated trailers and we know you will too when they are your business location.
Cost – Pricing varies by area but generally we believe the cost is about the same or a little lower for the refrigerator trailer rental when you fully calculate your out-of-pocket costs for picking up and dropping off the refrigerator truck rental. But your decision should not be based on cost but on reliability, ease of use, and safety of your employees we deciding to rent a refrigerated trailer or refrigerated truck.
