Reefer drayage is the drayage of refrigerated containers — "reefers" — that carry temperature-sensitive cargo such as produce, seafood, pharmaceuticals, and other perishables. Unlike a dry box, a reefer container has a built-in refrigeration unit that must keep running to hold the cargo at its required temperature throughout the move.
That live-power requirement changes the operation. At the terminal the container is plugged into a powered rack; the moment it is unplugged for the road leg it runs on its own diesel generator (a "genset") or the chassis's power, and the clock is now ticking on maintaining the cold chain. Drivers must monitor the set-point temperature and minimize the time the unit is off power.
Reefer drayage carries tighter time pressure and higher stakes than dry drayage — a temperature excursion can ruin an entire load — so it commands specialized equipment (reefer-capable chassis and gensets) and carriers who can prioritize these moves. It is a distinct specialty within drayage, often overlapping with produce and cold-chain logistics.
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