Cold Chain & Temperature-Controlled Operations worked example

Reefer Utilization at 59% target reefer utilization: a worked example

Here is what the math looks like when conditions slip. We hold every other input steady and drop target reefer utilization to 59%, then walk the calculation through step by step. Calculate reefer utilization from loaded reefer hours or trailer-days compared with available reefer capacity.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Loaded or revenue reefer hours: 420 reefer hr (held at the documented default)
  • Available reefer hours: 560 reefer hr (held at the documented default)
  • Target reefer utilization: 59 % (the input this scenario stresses; the baseline uses 82)

Working through the calculation

  • The calculation starts from the formula this tool documents: Reefer Utilization = loaded or revenue reefer hours ÷ available reefer hours × 100.
  • reefer utilization works out to 75 % at these inputs, and this is the headline figure for the scenario.
  • reefer utilization gap to target works out to -16 points at these inputs.
  • loaded or revenue reefer hours works out to 420 count at these inputs.
  • available reefer hours works out to 560 count at these inputs.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where target reefer utilization sits at 82% and the headline result is 75 %, this scenario lands almost exactly on the baseline at 75 %.
  • The practical read: the gap between this scenario and the baseline is entirely attributable to target reefer utilization, so recovering it is worth quantifying in dollars before considering equipment or staffing changes. Hour-based utilization does not capture load weight, cube fill, or revenue per hour, so a fleet can show high utilization while still running half-empty boxes at low yield.

Results at a glance

  • reefer utilization: 75 % (headline result)
  • reefer utilization gap to target: -16 points
  • loaded or revenue reefer hours: 420 count
  • available reefer hours: 560 count

Run it with your numbers

  • To rerun this with your own numbers, open the live Reefer Utilization calculator, set target reefer utilization to your actual value, and adjust the remaining inputs to match your operation.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.