If you’re thinking about buying a refrigerated van for your business, you should keep in mind hat this is quite a large investment. As a result, there are many things you’ll need to keep in mind and we will now take a look at 7 factors you should pay attention to.
1. Temperature
So, the temperature range of the refrigerated van would be very important, especially since you’d likely be transporting perishable goods. These goods could be anything from food, ice cream, flowers, cakes etc. The vast majority of refrigerated vans have specific controls to change the temperature, so make sure that the range is exactly what you require for your products.
For example, if you need to transport flowers, then you should be able to set the temperature at 5 t 7°C. If you need to transport food then you need to ensure that the van has at least two compartments where one is for cold or chilled storage and the other can be set at a room temperature. If you need to transport meat, poultry, fish, dairy etc, then these need to be stored at specific temperatures and you should only purchase a van that allows you to adjust to those temperatures.
2. Type of Goods You’re Transporting
Next, you also need to consider the type of goods that you have to transport since this will impact the type of van that you need to buy. Of course, the type of goods will determine the size of the van as well as the types of freezers you’ll need in the van.
Vans that are insulation only are made in such a way that they prevent overheating in the hot or summer months by ensuring the temperature within the van is always cooler. These vans don’t come with a refrigeration system and are suitable for only certain types of businesses like flower shops or florists.
The other types of refrigeration vans include full freezer vans, chiller vans and semi-freezer vans. These type of vans will offer a wide range of temperatures so you can store your temperature sensitive goods.
3. Payload
Next, you’ll have to think about your payload as well as how it would fit. So, for example, if you need to transport poultry or meat, then you’ll have to ensure the van has sufficient space to hang the meat. This will likely mean that you’ll require a large van.
It is best that you make the most out of the space inside of your van while ensuring that you can easily access the items you’re storing in it. This is certainly quite difficult for most businesses and is quite challenging to implement. After all, you don’t want to have a refrigerated van that is cluttered or the interior is not properly packed or even have truck parts taking up space.
We at FridgeXpress.com have lots of different types and models of refrigerated vans that are great for many different types of businesses.
4. Doors
Another factor many people fail to think about are the van’s doors. After all, if you need to deliver various perishable items to different locations, you will want to ensure that the temperature still remains as stable as possible inside of the van. This is a challenge when you have to make a lot of stops and open the doors which would cause the temperature to increase or drop.
Therefore, it is best that you consider the types of doors the vans have such as back or side and think about how these doors are protected against temperature changes. Now, the changes in temperature will depend heavily on the type of items you’re storing and transporting as well as how many deliveries you need to make within a day and how the day is structured. It is recommended that you at least use curtains in the van to help reduce the sharp drops or increases in temperature every time you open the doors.
5. Choose The Best Wheelbase
The type and distance between wheelbases is another important factor to think about when buying a refrigerated van. This is because different types of items will require different types of wheelbases. Refrigerated vans have 3 main types of wheelbases and they include short wheelbase, long wheelbase and medium wheelbase.
Do note that the measurements for each of these types vary a bit according to the type of van and manufacturer. Once you give us a call at FridgeXpress we can best advise you on the type of wheelbase you should get according to your particular business.
6. Added Features
There are likely additional features you may want according to the type of business you have. So, if you want to get a very large van you may want to have an additional feature such as slip resistant flooring so that your employees are protected when they move in and out of your large van. Additionally, you may need extra shelving or even different compartments to separate different types of foods.
7. Extras
The company that you choose to purchase a refrigerated van from will likely offer extra services. So, make sure that you find out about these services so that you get the most out of your purchase. We at FridgeXpress offer extra services such as maintenance, emergency repairs as well as a 3 year warranty on all our refrigerated vans.