By Stephanie Fusco, Walmart Canada Corporate Affairs
Walmart Canada’s fleet has expanded to include our first 60-foot multi-temperature refrigerated trailer. It’s also the first of its kind for Walmart in North America.
The custom-built multi-temp refrigerated trailer allows us to ship more freight to stores in a single trip, resulting in improved efficiency within our supply chain and less C02 emissions.
Launching this type of trailer is the latest example of how Walmart is innovating within transportation to transform the industry with our size and scale.
“Introducing this 60-foot, custom-built, multi-temperature refrigerated trailer into our fleet is latest example of how Walmart Canada is continually innovating within supply chain and pushing boundaries in the industry,” explains Patricio Dallan, SVP, Supply Chain, Walmart Canada. “When Walmart makes a change, it has a ripple effect. In this case, we’re introducing a new custom solution to the Canadian market that helps to reduce our total number of trips and emissions. We’re incredibly proud of this milestone.”
Departing our Mississauga distribution centre for our stores in Windsor and Woodstock, this trailer can fit as many as 30 pallets of perishable goods, like meat and dry/wet produce, requiring different temperatures. For context, a standard 53-foot trailer can fit about 26 pallets. The increased capacity and multi-temperature zones provide the flexibility to service our stores in the most efficient manner by pairing certain stops together that would not normally ship on the same trailer.
“This is a truly custom solution, purpose-built for Walmart Canada to help us bring innovation to the industry and work towards reaching our regeneration goals,” shares Brian Sookhai, Senior Manager, Transportation Innovation and Planning, Walmart Canada. “Working closely with Utility Trailer Manufacturing Company, we manufactured this trailer that allows for multi-temperature control and more capacity than ever before. This allows us to ship products at a variety of temperatures and make fewer overall trips, reducing our carbon emissions by having fewer trucks on the road.”
We were able to bring this new concept to the roads by collaborating with Utility Trailer Manufacturing Company, who adjusted their own manufacturing capabilities to make this trailer possible.
In 2012, Walmart initiated a pilot program with the Ontario Ministry of Transportation to introduce 60-foot trailers to Ontario’s roads. This Special Vehicle Configuration Permit pilot was successful and helped to open the door for organizations across the province to improve productivity by reducing the number of trips required to move lighter, bulkier cargo.
Walmart is targeting zero emissions globally by 2040 without the use of offsets and has committed to an alternatively-powered fleet in Canada by 2028. In 2021, Walmart Canada announced it was the first major retailer in Canada to offer carbon-neutral last mile delivery. We’re proud to be one of Canada’s Top Fleet Employers (2021, 2022).
