Reefer Truck Market - Global Industry Size, Share, Trends, Opportunity, and Forecast, 2021-2031

The Global Reefer Truck Market is projected to expand from USD 12.82 Billion in 2025 to USD 18.61 Billion by 2031, achieving a compound annual growth rate of 6.41%. This market consists of commercial vehicles outfitted with insulated storage and refrigeration systems specifically engineered to haul temperature-sensitive cargo, including perishable foods, pharmaceuticals, and chemicals.

Growth is primarily driven by the rising global consumption of fresh and frozen goods, which demands unbroken cold chain integrity to prevent spoilage and satisfy food safety regulations. Additionally, the pharmaceutical industry's strict temperature control requirements for transporting vaccines and biologics further reinforce the necessity for these specialized vehicles. According to the Global Cold Chain Alliance, the capacity of the top 25 global temperature-controlled logistics providers expanded by 640 million cubic feet in 2025, highlighting substantial infrastructure investment to accommodate increasing trade volumes.

Despite this growth, the market encounters substantial obstacles related to unstable operating costs, specifically fuel prices and capital expenditures needed for regulatory adherence. With environmental regulations concerning diesel emissions and refrigerant gases becoming stricter, fleet operators are forced to purchase compliant, often costlier technologies to avoid fines. These financial strains are compounded by fluctuating energy markets, which can severely reduce logistics providers' profit margins and potentially retard the pace of fleet modernization and expansion across the global reefer truck sector.

Market Drivers

The surge in e-commerce and online grocery delivery services acts as a major catalyst for the Global Reefer Truck Market. As consumers increasingly utilize digital platforms to purchase perishable items, retailers are broadening their temperature-controlled fleets to maintain the quality of fresh and frozen products during the crucial last-mile delivery stage. This transition has required significant capital investment in multi-temperature trucks that can transport various types of cargo at once. For example, The Kroger Co. reported in its 'Second Quarter 2025 Results' from September 2025 that digital sales grew by 16% compared to the previous year, highlighting the mounting pressure on logistics networks to handle high-volume, temperature-sensitive home deliveries.

Concurrently, the advancement of cold chain infrastructure plays a pivotal role in market dynamics, as the growth of cold storage hubs creates a direct demand for refrigerated transport to service them. Major logistics companies are expanding their capabilities to handle the increasing volume of pharmaceuticals and frozen foods traversing the supply chain. In November 2025, Lineage, Inc. announced in its 'Third Quarter 2025 Financial Results' that total revenue rose by 3.1% to $1.377 billion, demonstrating strong demand for cold chain capacity. However, this operational expansion faces headwinds from broader vehicle market difficulties; the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) noted in January 2025 that new EU truck registrations fell by 6.3% in 2024, emphasizing the supply limitations fleet operators encounter despite rising demand.

Market Challenges

The instability of operational costs, combined with high capital expenditures required for regulatory compliance, poses a significant barrier to the sustainable expansion of the Global Reefer Truck Market. As environmental regulations regarding refrigerant gases and diesel emissions become more stringent, fleet operators confront immediate financial pressure to substitute older vehicles with compliant, expensive alternatives. This necessary capital outflow redirects resources away from market development and business expansion, effectively decelerating the speed at which companies can scale operations to satisfy increasing global demand.

The impact of this financial strain is illustrated by the escalating costs involved in purchasing and maintaining commercial fleet assets. According to the American Transportation Research Institute, the specific cost component for truck and trailer payments rose by 8.3 percent in 2025, reaching a record high of $0.390 per mile. This significant increase in fixed equipment expenses directly diminishes the liquidity that logistics providers need to manage energy price volatility, thereby impeding their capacity to sustain consistent growth in this capital-intensive sector.

Market Trends

The shift toward electric and hybrid refrigerated propulsion systems is transforming the market as operators aim for zero-emission logistics. This trend entails the deployment of advanced battery-electric technologies that remove direct emissions while maintaining reliable cooling for urban distribution. Manufacturers are hastening this transition by offering retrofit options that convert existing diesel fleets into hybrid operations, thereby prolonging asset life while adhering to sustainability goals. For example, Carrier Transicold announced in an October 2025 press release titled 'Carrier Transicold Launches Three New Solutions to Support Fleet Electrification and Sustainability' the debut of the [R]eCool system, a retrofit solution engineered to convert diesel-powered refrigeration units into hybrid or fully electric systems to aid decarbonization.

In parallel, the incorporation of IoT and telematics is revolutionizing cold chain management by offering real-time insight into cargo status. This digital evolution allows logistics providers to immediately detect temperature deviations and automate compliance reporting, substantially lowering spoilage risks for high-value perishable goods. The rapid adoption of these advanced platforms is demonstrated by the growing customer base of major technology providers streamlining fleet operations. For instance, Samsara Inc. stated in its 'Fiscal Year 2025 Annual Report' from June 2025 that its number of large-scale customers grew by 36% year-over-year, highlighting the increasing reliance on connected operations platforms that facilitate essential cold chain monitoring.

Key Players Profiled in the Reefer Truck Market

• C.R. England
• Marten Transport
• Hirschbach Motor Lines
• KLLM Transport Services
• Stevens Transport
• Boyle Transportation
• Grand Island Express
• Halvor Lines
• Continental Express Inc.
• Magnum Ltd.

Report Scope

In this report, the Global Reefer Truck Market has been segmented into the following categories:

Reefer Truck Market, by Vehicle Type:

• Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV)
• Medium Commercial Vehicle (MCV)
• Heavy commercial vehicle (HCV)

Reefer Truck Market, by Tonnage Capacity:

• Less than 10 Tons
• 10-20 Tons
• More than 20 Tons

Reefer Truck Market, by Application:

• Food and Beverages
• Pharmaceuticals
• Chemicals
• Others

Reefer Truck Market, by Region:

• North America
• Europe
• Asia-Pacific
• South America
• Middle East & Africa

Competitive Landscape

Company Profiles: Detailed analysis of the major companies present in the Global Reefer Truck Market.

Available Customization

The analyst offers customization according to your specific needs. The following customization options are available for the report:

• Detailed analysis and profiling of additional market players (up to five).

This product will be delivered within 1-3 business days.