The thermometer in your refrigerated truck is undoubtedly one of the most critical aspects of any refrigerated truck, as it allows you to ensure that your produce is at the correct temperature, which allows it to remain fresh and safe for consumption. Storing agricultural produce and perishable goods at incorrect temperatures can be detrimental to their condition, and will result in the cold chain being irrecoverably interrupted. This is not only bad for the end customer; this gives your refrigerated transportation company a bad reputation over time.

There are many things which could cause your thermometer to stop working over time, and taking care of these things can be a helpful form of preventative maintenance. For example, if your truck’s return air sensor is damaged or malfunctioning, the temperatures on your thermometer may be displayed inaccurately. This is a particularly worrying type of fault, as your thermometer could trick you into thinking that your cargo is fine despite the fact that it is slowly perishing in an unsuitable temperature. This insidious fault is likely to go unnoticed for a long period of time unless you check for it regularly.

Notify your fleet manager immediately

If it becomes obvious that your truck’s thermometer is broken or faulty, you should notify your refrigerated fleet manager immediately, informing them of what’s going on. If you have alternative thermometers or ways of testing the temperature of your refrigerator (such as alternative temperature displays) then it may be worth going to review these options before getting too worried.

Nonetheless, you should get your truck’s thermometer seen to as quickly as possible, ensuring that it is fixed or replaced before the truck goes out on any more shipment deliveries. The truck may potentially be used for regular unrefrigerated cargo during this time, which could be useful If you’re a refrigerated produce transportation company which has a limited fleet at its disposal. However, as soon as the problem is recognized, the truck at hand should not be utilized for any logistics services which are part of a “cold chain” supply chain.

Perform pre-drive checks and maintenance

Checking the reliability of your thermometers should ideally become a regimented item on your pre-trip checklist, along with checking other aspects of your vehicle, such as its brakes and oil level. Although you need to check that your vehicle is mechanically fit enough to get you and your cargo from A to B, you’re wasting your time if your cargo is unusable by the time it arrives at its destination.

Having your truck’s thermometer malfunction can be a serious problem, as it leaves you in the dark about the state of your precious cargo. As soon as you realize that there is a problem, be sure to contact your fleet manager and make your way to the nearest service center; there’s no point in going to your destination if your cargo is potentially ruined.