Proper truck maintenance is vital to success in dairy industry
The dairy industry is a very demanding application with its 24-hour-a-day operation, regardless of weather conditions, heavy loads and stop-and-go deliveries. Add to that the fact that the equipment needed to haul dairy products — insulated reefer boxes, lift gates, heavy-duty chassis — is expensive.
Product integrity is of utmost importance when hauling dairy products because they are very sensitive to temperature changes. In the dairy industry, the amount of time product spends above 33 degrees Fahrenheit is directly proportional to the shelf life of the product in days.
To ensure product integrity has been maintained, retailers use temperature probes to validate the temperature of the product upon delivery. Larger retailers will probe products while they are still in the trailer and will refuse deliveries if product temperatures are outside set parameters.
Maintenance is critical
The way a truck is spec’d and maintained contributes to its ability to deliver product that meets all the required parameters. While maintenance is important for all trucking applications and duty cycles, it is absolutely vital when hauling dairy products.
Transervice is well versed on key items that contribute to successfully maintaining proper temperature when hauling dairy products. While the list of maintenance items is long, here are some key areas that deserve special attention during maintenance inspections of vehicles used to haul dairy products.
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