Food & Beverage Fleet Management Solutions

When looking at vehicles for food and beverage transportation, the top priorities are to ensure goods are delivered without loss in quality, avoid contamination during transport, and prevent load loss. For this reason, the effectiveness of your vehicle upfit is of critical importance, while the class of vehicle is more closely related to the quantity of product you normally transport.

Your fleet management company (FMC) should be able to detail available options based on what you’re looking to transport. The right FMC will also be able to help lower overhead costs, and in many cases even reduce fuel spend, insurance premiums, and registration costs. Here are some points to consider:

Heavy Payloads
Since payload capacities are often maxed out to lower transportation costs, reefer trucks and reefer vans used to transport food and beverages often experience accelerated wear-and-tear. As these trucks and vans often drive in congested areas, to multiple depots and drop-off points, it is especially important to consider tires, maintenance, and the lifecycle of a vehicle. These vehicles generally require upfitting, including heavy refrigeration or freezer units, further increasing maintenance costs.

Upfit Maintenance
Unlike simple storage racks, shelving, and ladders, trucks used in the food and beverage industry require extensive, and highly complicated upfitting to turn them into refrigerated transport. Regular inspection of your compressor, condenser, evaporator, connecting hoses, and more helps prevent delivery failures on the road. We recommend partnering with a fleet management company that has an expert upfit department experienced in reefer vehicle systems.

Food Transport Vehicle Regulations
The FDA created the Sanitary Food Transportation Act in 2005 which requires all businesses that transport food, including feed for animals, to adhered to strict sanitary practices. This helps to ensure that there is no contamination during transportation and that food safety is always a top priority. Partnering with a fleet management company who knows the ins-and-outs of compliance can help ensure your drivers and vehicles are ready to meet federal requirements of food and beverage transport.

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Upfits are critical for vehicles used in the food and beverage industry. The quality of your upfit can make the difference between a successful delivery or a total load loss.

Here are some of the most popular upfits for vehicles in the food and beverage industry:

• Logos, Branding, and Decals
• Roof- and skirt-mounted refrigeration options
• Insulated truck bodies for long-distance travel
• Diamond plate and non-skid flooring
• Temperature monitoring sensors
• Drawer Units
• Shelving Modules
• Alarm Systems
• GPS Systems

Control spending and simplify maintenance with our fleet maintenance programs. Benefits include controlling costs, reducing administrative burdens, minimizing downtime, and eliminating unpredictable expenses.

Our Merchants Fleet Roadside Assistance program provides fleet maintenance 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Whether it is a flat tire, dead battery, or empty gas tank, you and your drivers will have a toll-free number to call — any time of day or night.

In addition, our network of ASE-certified technicians will take care of all your fleet maintenance and repair management needs, in addition to offering guidance and support for routine services or emergency repairs.

The best way to save on insurance premiums is to reduce your number of accidents, and the best way to accomplish this is with the right safety and training programs. With Merchants Fleet, you can ensure your drivers have the tools, education, and resources they need to avoid accidents or injury.

We can see what’s available through the OEM in terms of safety features, help you budget accordingly, and accommodate any special safety requests or needs.

You can choose to implement driver safety training — either with a generic program or one customized to your needs — and monitor driver behavior with our connected vehicle technology TotalConnect, telematics, and GPS tracking.