New guidelines for refrigerated shipping into the United States will take effect on March 31. Enforcement of the rules will not begin until 2017, in order to give carriers time to adjust to the new rules focused not only on the operation of cooling equipment, but also the data collection and record-keeping of shipment temperatures. In addition, drivers of refrigerated carriers will be required to undergo new training.

The new rules are an update to a 2011 policy passed by the United States Congress called the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), and signed by President Obama.

While shippers and receivers are the primary focus of the regulations of the FSMA, refrigerated carriers are also affected by the changes in three major ways. Firstly, carriers will be required to create and use written procedures to record information such as how they measure temperature data, and their practices for cleaning, sanitizing, and inspecting vehicles and transportation equipment. Secondly, they will need to develop a system for filing these records for at least 12 months after recording the data. Lastly, refrigerated carriers will be required to establish new training guidelines for carrier personnel working directly in operation of refrigerated transportation, which will include a provision for recording all training that occurs.

A few specific changes refrigerated carriers are expected to take notice of once the new guidelines comes into effect:

  • It will affect the way trailers are designed, depending on shipper requirements resulting from the new rules;
  • It will force higher standards of sanitary cleaning requirements of these trailers;
  • There will be a “pre-cool” requirement for many shipments;
  • Recording and tracking temperatures will be mandated;
  • Data exchange and record-keeping will be required;
  • Food safety training for drivers will be mandatory and a record of that training must be kept on file for access upon request.

Carriers, shippers and receivers who bring in less than $500,000 in total annual revenue will not have to abide by the rule’s new procedures.

Carriers should expect a 12-month window in which to change their operations to comply with the new policy changes. The rules are on track to be made official on March 31, 2016, so enforcement will begin by March 2017. This means that both refrigerated carriers and shipping companies will need to begin making changes as soon as possible.