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Tech Roundup: Cold chain welcomes on-demand expedited freight bookings

The Tech Roundup is a weekly rundown of advancements and news in the FreightTech space. This week: Reefer Van Network brings freight on demand, Trinity Logistics has a new solution combating fraud, and Shiplify gives visibility into accessorial charges. 

Reefer Van Network launches on-demand expedited bookings. 

In a big leap forward for cold-chain logistics, Reefer Van Network (RVN) launched a game-changing customer portal that allows shippers to book both dry and temperature-controlled vans and small trucks on demand, any time, any day. 

Located in Knoxville, Tennessee, RVN is positioning itself as the leading expedite partner for cold-chain freight. RVN has a mission to strip away traditional inefficiencies and inject speed, transparency, and responsiveness into perishable‑goods logistics, which it hopes to accomplish with the new platform.

Founder Alex Winston explains it succinctly: “Businesses need fast, easy access to shipping solutions that get their freight picked up on demand, and delivered on time and on temp. Our portal gives them exactly that. It’s one more step toward our goal of making cold chain freight more responsive, transparent, and dependable.”

According to Future Market Insights, “The global temperature-controlled packaging solution market is expected to rise from USD 13.8 billion in 2025 to USD 23.6 billion by 2035, growing at a CAGR of 5.5%. In 2024, the market stood at USD 13.1 billion, reflecting resilient year-on-year demand, primarily driven by the life sciences, food, and chemical sectors.”

RVN’s portal is especially unique in  its strategic filling of a long-standing market gap. Traditional Less‑Than‑Truckload (LTL) services often fall short, too slow, too unreliable, or unavailable on short notice. 

Full Truckload (FTL) options may offer speed, but they’re usually oversized and costly for smaller cold‑chain shipments. RVN’s solution is a scalable middle ground: small, refrigerated vans and box trucks available around the clock, tailored to the size and needs of the shipment.

The portal also serves up much-needed transparency: users gain real‑time visibility into their shipments, receive proactive updates, and can rely on 24/7 customer support. As Winston puts it, “This isn’t just a booking tool—it’s a gateway to a better shipping experience. When timing and temperature matter most, RVN delivers.”

The Transportation Intermediaries Association (TIA) published its report “State of Fraud in the Industry,” which found nearly one in four freight brokers lost over $200,000 to fraud in just six months. Most of those losses hit small and mid-sized brokerages.

Stepping up to the plate to combat to help combat scams affecting brokerages is Trinity Logistics. The 3PL has introduced a new load verification tool that helps carriers safeguard themselves from fake load activity in the freight industry. 

“Trinity created the load verification tool as a direct response to the rise in fraud targeting carriers,” said Kristin Deno, Operational Risk Analyst at Trinity in a news release. “Scammers have unfortunately impersonated trusted brokers, like Trinity, in an effort to trick carriers into taking fake loads. This tool gives our Carrier relationships a simple and secure way to confirm a shipment is legitimate – before they ever roll a truck.”

Accessible directly via Trinity’s website, carriers enter the Trinity load number and their company’s DOT or MC number into an encrypted online form. Within seconds, the tool validates whether the load is genuine and backed by Trinity. This simple verification step empowers carriers to protect their time, equipment, and operational integrity before dispatching any truck.

Shiplify Launches ROI Calculator to Tackle Accessorial Fee Confusion

In a move aimed at bringing greater transparency and profitability to the freight billing process, Shiplify has launched its new Accessorial ROI Calculator, a digital tool designed to help logistics professionals better understand the true impact of accessorial charges on their margins. The tool is being positioned as a way to reduce billing disputes, protect profits, and strengthen relationships across the supply chain.

Accessorial fees, charges for services like liftgate usage, residential delivery, or detention. are often underestimated or misunderstood, leading to surprise costs, disputes between partners, and eroded profit margins. Shiplify’s calculator aims to change that by giving users upfront, real-time visibility into how these extra charges affect the total cost of a shipment. The tool uses a blend of proprietary data and industry benchmarks to provide accurate estimates before a load is tendered or delivered.

“Accessorial charges are one of the biggest sources of frustration and confusion in logistics billing,” said North Winship, President of Shiplify. “Our ROI Calculator empowers users to evaluate the impact of these charges in advance—helping them plan smarter, avoid friction, and keep their margins intact.”

The tool is intended for use by shippers, carriers, and third-party logistics providers alike, offering each party a clear picture of expected costs before invoices are issued. That clarity, helps reduce the kind of post-delivery disputes that slow down payments and strain relationships.

“Without clear visibility into and proactive management of these accessorials, businesses are left vulnerable to financial surprises and disputes, hindering strategic planning and impacting customer trust,” Bart De Muynck, Founder, Bart De Muynck Strategic Advice said in a news release

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