Tribe Transportation fortifies fleet with solar-equipped TRUs

Tribe Transportation is expanding its fleet with 111 new 53-foot trailers equipped with Carrier Transicold X4 7500 refrigeration units to help it meet demand in the fast-growing life sciences sector, which includes the transport of pharmaceutical products.

According to Carrier, the acquisition includes Carrier Transicold TRU-Mount solar panels, which help to maintain the charge of the refrigeration unit batteries. Additionally, Tribe acquired 100 Carrier Transicold ComfortPro diesel auxiliary power units (APUs) to help maintain cab climate control for its drivers.

“The new refrigeration units, with their high capacities, precise temperature control and proven reliability, are helping us to meet the exacting needs of our pharmaceutical and life sciences customers,” said Todd Gooch, vice president of transportation for the Gainesville GA-based fleet.

Native American woman-owned Tribe Transportation is one of the fastest-growing minority carriers in North America. Now in its 16th year of operation, the fleet has more than 400 tractors and nearly 900 trailers, serving the refrigerated and deep-frozen freight needs of its expanding customer base.

“We haul everything from candy and produce to ice cream and cryogenic pharmaceutical products, and that unit serves us best over a wide array of customers,” Gooch said about the X4 7500 model, Carrier Transicold’s highest capacity trailer refrigeration unit.

For temperature monitoring and asset tracking, Tribe’s trailers are equipped with telematics devices powered by the refrigeration units’ batteries. Carrier Transicold’s high-performance TRU-Mount solar charging system supplements battery charging, helping to keep all trailers visible through Tribe’s telematics system.

“That’s a big plus for us,” Gooch explained, noting that in a drop-type environment where a trailer may be parked without the refrigeration unit running, the battery could lose its charge without the support of the solar panel. Tribe considers the panel’s secure mounting to the top of the refrigeration unit an advantage because it stays with the unit if it is relocated to another trailer.

The fully featured ComfortPro diesel APUs provide air conditioning, heating, cab power, engine warming, and truck battery monitoring and charging. In addition to reducing engine wear and fuel consumption, the APUs improve comfort, which helps with driver retention, Carrier said.

“The APUs are rock solid and the drivers love them,” Gooch said, adding that Tribe’s commitment to the Carrier Transicold brand extends beyond the local dealership, MHC Carrier Transicold, to the entire Carrier Transicold dealer network, which provides service support to the fleet throughout the contiguous United States and Canada.

“Tribe’s fleet expansion moves the cold chain forward to help ensure that medicines reach the people who need them,” said Bill Maddox, senior manager for product management at Carrier Transicold. “We are pleased to support this effort, at a time when it matters most.”