Overview

The purpose of this document is to provide all the information necessary to successfully deploy a customer’s Cold Chain solution, so either our Partners or our Support team can help with the steps required.

! IMPORTANT Use of the Cold Chain solution elements outside of the manner in which they are presented in this document and associated documentation may not be compliant with Cold Chain regulations. Please reach out to your Geotab Partner or Support for questions.

This document is organized into the following sections:

1. Background
2. 1. This section contains details and basic concepts of the Cold Chain solution.
1. Differences between regions
2. 2. This section contains the differences between the North American region (Canada, US and Mexico) and European/Australian regions. This is an important aspect to consider in order to understand how our Cold Chain solution works.
1. Step 1 for Geotab HW: Pre-Deployment Steps
2. 3. This section lists refrigeration unit and/or thermograph (for EU region only) compatibility, required harnesses, and supported features for each compatible refrigeration unit controller/thermograph. The section also covers the steps you should take before purchasing a GO/GO Rugged device, IOX-COLD/IOX-COLD RUGGED, and Cold Chain harnesses for your needs.
   4. ! IMPORTANT: Obtaining the make and model of the refrigeration units and/or thermographs (for Europe region) is critical to ensure the solution will work as expected, and so the customer knows what features will be supported.
2. Step 2 for Geotab HW: Deployment Processes
3. 1. This section describes the installation process for when Geotab hardware is required to be used.
1. Step 3: Ongoing Supervision
2. 2. This ongoing supervision section covers the steps to ensure proper use of the Cold Chain view in MyGeotab portal.
   3. The Basic Cold Chain Implementation process for Geotab hardware scenarios is complete after finishing Steps 2 and 3.
2. FAQs
3. 1. Review this section if you run into any issues or have questions.
1. Appendix
2. 2. This section contains useful tools and tips for Cold Chain solution use. It is recommended to review and follow the instructions for anything that may be relevant to your use cases.

Background

The documents in the sections below will help you understand the basics behind the Cold Chain solution. It is critical that you review this material to understand the various features of the system before progressing with the pilot or rollout.

Note that the icon denotes a particularly important section or piece of information.

Understanding the Cold Chain solution

Fleets using vehicles with refrigerated units need visibility and control over their cold chain operations to comply with regulations and operate efficiently.

Geotab’s cold chain solution delivers key data to fleet managers to help them manage their fleet operations, and seamlessly monitor and control cargo temperature during transportation for industries such as:

Food & beverage

Monitor temperature throughout the delivery process to satisfy customers, and prevent the loss of goods from spoilage.

Pharmacy

Regulations require specific temperature ranges throughout the transportation process to maintain the integrity of the cargo.

Transportation & logistics

Optimize operations and remain in compliance with full visibility of drivers and shipments.

Basic concepts

In this section, we will review some basic concepts required to understand the Cold Chain solution:

1. Refrigeration Unit: The refrigeration system installed on a straight/box/rigid truck, trailer, or van used to regulate and adjust the temperature of the cargo.
2. Refrigeration unit controller: The control system, which consists of an ECU and a display screen.
3. Thermograph: The device used in Europe for any Cold Chain solution that needs to be present to store/log all temperature readings of the cargo. It is used to print out the temperature readings to ensure cargo has not been compromised.
4. GO device: A telematics device, required to send all data gathered by the IOX-UREADER to the MyGeotab database.
5. IOX-COLD or IOX-COLD RUGGED: the IOX device that connects the GO device to the refrigeration units
6. Harness: A special cable used to connect the IOX-UREADER to the refrigeration units and/or thermograph.
7. Cargo temperature: Temperature retrieved from the thermograph sensor, or from the return air sensor of the refrigeration unit.
8. Setpoint temperature: The desired cargo temperature.
9. Threshold: The temperature range within which the setpoint temperature is allowed to vary above or below to avoid cargo spoilage. In order words, the safe temperature range for the cargo.
10. Hardware error codes: Any errors that are flagged by the refrigeration units that are related to hardware.
11. MyInstall: The tool used to verify GO device and IOX-COLD/IOX-COLD RUGGED installation, and needed to send the necessary configuration to the IOX-COLD/IOX-COLD RUGGED to communicate with the refrigeration units. It is mandatory to use this tool once the devices are installed.

12. Legacy solution:

12. Device Installation Wizard (DIW): The legacy tool used to verify the IOX-UREADER/IOX-COLD and IOX-COLD RUGGED installation and properly configure the IOX-UREADER to communicate with the refrigeration units.

Understanding the offered features

Via the MyGeotab Cold Chain solution, Geotab delivers real-time temperature monitoring, custom alerts, proof of delivery reporting, and hardware error code detection to improve cold chain operations.

The Cold Chain solution offers two views: real-time and historical.

1. The real-time view (Cold Chain view) allows fleet managers to monitor each of their refrigerated vehicles, and empowers them to act as soon as possible when an issue is detected to avoid cargo spoilage.
2. The historical data view (Engine data profile view) allows fleet managers to either investigate the data to ensure cargo has not been compromised, or to provide proof of desired temperature data for a specified period of time.

Another important feature of the Cold Chain solution is the required hardware, which is a combination of a GO device, an IOX device (IOX-COLD/IOX-COLD RUGGED), and one or more harnesses that connect the refrigeration unit and/or thermograph to the IOX. This is important because the available features offered by the Cold Chain solution are directly restricted to the hardware aspect, and this means the limitation is on the refrigeration unit compatibility and what information they can communicate through the connector the harness needs to be plugged into.

To understand what features are available per make/model refrigeration unit, refer to the Cold Chain Supported Features section in the IOX-COLD support document or the Cold Chain Supported Features section of the IOX-COLD RUGGED support document, and verify each controller’s available functionalities.

Understanding the Compatibility of Refrigeration Units and/or Thermographs

The Cold Chain solution depends on the compatibility between the refrigeration unit and/or thermograph (for EU customers) with Geotab hardware (GO + IOX-COLD/IOX-COLD RUGGED + Cold Chain harness). This limitation restricts what data and features of the solution is supported, and is not based on Geotab’s solution but what data each refrigeration unit provides.

Differences between regions

There is a difference between the North America region (Canada, US and Mexico) and Europe/Australia region:

1. For North American customers, there are two installation scenarios: the regular installation scenario, and a different process for Thermo King® units, since a cloud-to-cloud integration between the Geotab cloud and the Thermo King TracKing® platform is supported.
2. 1. For Thermo King® units, customers must:
   2. 1. Have the Thermo King® OEM device installed in the asset
      2. Have an active subscription for the asset in the Thermo King TracKing® platform
      3. Activate the cloud-to-cloud integration by the partner
      4. Once all this is done, go to Step 3: Ongoing Supervision
2. For all refrigeration units other than Thermo King®, customers must install Geotab hardware to obtain data from the refrigeration unit:
3. 1. Step 1 for Geotab HW: Pre-Deployment Steps to verify that the unit is supported
   2. Step 2 for Geotab HW: Deployment Processes to understand how the hardware is installed

4. 

2. For the European and Australia market, all refrigeration units require installing Geotab hardware:

1. Step 1 for Geotab HW: Pre-Deployment Steps to verify that the unit is supported
2. Step 2 for Geotab HW: Deployment Processes to understand how the hardware is installed

Step 1 for Geotab hardware: pre-deployment steps

Before you start using the Cold Chain solution, you must verify if the refrigeration units and/or thermographs on the vehicles are compatible with Geotab hardware.

To check compatibility, please follow these steps:

1. Ensure that the refrigeration unit is supported by Geotab’s solution:
2. 1. Using the document Cold Chain Harness Compatibility:
   2. 1. Define the installation environment depending on the vehicle type (column A in the document):
      2. 1. Indoor installation (ex: Installation in a van/LCV/straight-box-rigid truck cabin), in this case a hardware set of GO device + IOX-COLD + Cold Chain harness will be needed to be purchased.
         2. Outdoor installation (ex: Installation on a trailer), in this case, in this case a hardware set of GO Rugged device + IOX-COLD RUGGED + Cold Chain harness will be needed to be purchased.
      2. Look for the make and model of your refrigeration unit installed in the refrigerated asset
      3. Find the controller’s name to later check on point “b” below the supported features
      4. Obtain the SKU of the specific Cold Chain harness for the make/model of refrigeration unit in the asset
   2. Once confirmed, visit the Cold Chain Supported Features section in the IOX-COLD support document or the Cold Chain Supported Features section in the IOX-COLD RUGGED support document, and verify the available relevant functionalities depending on the controller’s name.
2. Understand which Geotab hardware set is required to be used per type of refrigerated asset that will be connected to MYG. To purchase the required hardware and harnesses, contact your Geotab partner to make sure that you order the right harness based on the findings from the previous step.

3. 

4. 3. For more information about the required SKUs and the required harness per make/model of refrigeration unit, please visit the Cold Chain Solution Ordering Sheet and the GEOTAB Truck Solution - Harnesses Identification and Application document.

Step 2 for Geotab hardware: deployment process

This step covers how to install the Geotab hardware Cold Chain solution once the hardware is received.

1. Proceed with the GO/GO Rugged device + IOX-COLD/IOX-COLD RUGGED + Cold Chain harness installations depending on the type of vehicle:
2. 1. Vans/LCVs (GO devices connected to OBDII port):
   2. 1. Installation instructions are outlined in the Quick start guide document. Access to the quick start guide document here : gtb.link/ioxcold
      2. (Optional) In case there are any issues with MyInstall tool, please try using the Device Installation Wizard (Device Installation Wizard user guide) that is the legacy installation tool for Cold Chain installations.
   2. Straight-box-rigid trucks (GO devices connected to either OBDII port, or 3-wire installation that requires harness HRN-CW03K3):
   3. 1. Installation instructions are outlined in the Quick start guide document. Access to the quick start guide document here : gtb.link/ioxcold
      2. (Optional) In case there are any issues with MyInstall tool, please try using the Device Installation Wizard (Device Installation Wizard user guide) that is the legacy installation tool for Cold Chain installations.
   3. Trailers (GO RUGGED using 3-wires installation that requires harness HRN-RW03K4-A):

   5. ✱ NOTE: When refrigerated trailers are powered off, the Geotab hardware may drain the refrigeration unit battery while connected because it tracks the location of the trailer. However, if battery readings are low, the Geotab device will automatically stop functioning to preserve the battery.

   6. 1. Installation instructions are outlined in the Quick start guide document. Access to the quick start guide document here : gtb.link/ioxcoldrugged
      2. (Optional) In case there are any issues with MyInstall tool, please try using the Device Installation Wizard (Device Installation Wizard user guide) that is the legacy installation tool for Cold Chain installations.

   Step 3: Ongoing supervision

   This step covers how to access the Cold Chain view in the Compliance section of MyGeotab. The Cold Chain view shows refrigerated vehicles and their relevant cold chain data. The only setup required in MyGeotab is to enable Cold Chain rules in the Compliance subsection of the Rules page and specify threshold and duration values for your use case:

   1. Set the relevant “thresholds” and “duration” settings in the customer’s database for each cargo temperature rule to have the Cold Chain solution running as expected. Refer to the Using the Cold Chain page section of the Cold Chain User Guide. To understand how the Cold Chain rules work, refer to the following example for a single-zone scenario:

   

   FAQs

   Q. How do you know if a refrigeration unit is compatible with MyGeotab Cold Chain solution?

   A. To ensure if the refrigeration unit is compatible, refer to Step 1.

   Q. How do I know which harness needs to be used with a refrigeration unit?

   A. The list of harnesses according to the make/model of the supported refrigeration units can be found in the Cold Chain Harness Compatibility document.

   Q. How do I configure the temperature probe of a refrigeration unit?

   A. The system auto-detects which of the three possible temperature sources are available (Thermograph sensors for EU customers - highest priority, extra 1-wire temperature sensors connected to the IOX-BRIDGE - second priority, or the refrigeration unit return temperature sensors - lowest priority), and after applying the priority the cargo temperature diagnostics will display the correct temperature to monitor accurately the cargo. This selected temperature source will be used to trigger the Cold Chain temperature rules.

   Q. What are the “two-way communication” features?

   A. This feature allows fleet managers to send certain commands in real-time to refrigeration units via the connected IOX-UREADER. The amount of different commands that can be sent is specific to each individual refrigeration unit controller.

   Q. Does the Cold Chain solution support multi-zones? How many zones does the cold chain solution support?

   A. Yes, the multi-zone feature is supported. Geotab's cold chain solutions support up to three temperature zones, as the connected cold chain unit or thermograph (applicable only in the EU market).

   Q. Can the refrigeration unit be started remotely from the back office?

   A. Yes, but only for supported refrigerated units. Refer to the end of the table to find out which controllers are supported in the IOX-COLD RUGGED support document (trailers units) or IOX-COLD support document (vans/LCVs/straight trucks).

   Q. Can defrost be set remotely?

   A. No, this feature is currently not supported.

   Q. Can I receive alarms related to the refrigeration unit not cooling down, (e.g. Bulkhead door not closed)?

   A. The cold chain built-in rules (How to setup rules in Cold Chain User Guide to point in the right section) are focused on flagging when the temperature read is an amount of selected degrees (this value can be set up in the built-in cold chain rules, and it is called “threshold”) away from the setpoint temperature of the zone by a chosen period of time (this value can be set up in the built-in cold chain rules, and it is called “duration”)

   Q. Can we provide accurate product temperature for the duration of the transportation without needing to install temperature probes?

   A. Yes, we rely on the sensors of the refrigeration unit that are used to monitor/control the cargo temperature. All the data logged by these sensors is sent to MyGeotab.

   Q. Do you provide reefer shutdown predictive analytics?

   A. Currently, any predictive maintenance analytics are provided by the OEM solutions, and are not part of the Geotab solution. This is mainly because OEMs are currently not sharing the necessary data to implement this feature via the refrigeration unit connection ports.

   Q. How do I send a chain-of-custody report to my customer?

   A. Instructions on how to generate a proof of delivery document can be found in the Cold Chain user guide (specifically the Engine Data Profile view).

   Q. How can I differentiate commodities in my shipments? Can I report on this?

   A. Differentiating the type of commodity is currently not supported by the Cold Chain solution. This is mainly because TMS platforms (which is where customers typically enter what commodities are loaded) are not yet integrated with Geotab.

   Q. What temperature range can the system monitor, and what is the accuracy of the temperature readings? Are there calibration requirements?

   A. When connected to a refrigeration unit or thermograph (EU market only), the Geotab solution mirrors the temperature range of that device, inheriting its maximum precision (since we read data directly from the refrigeration unit temperature sensors). Conversely, when using an external 1-wire temperature sensor, the temperature range, accuracy, and calibration are determined by that sensor’s specifications.

   Q. What types of alerts are available (e.g., email, SMS, in-app notifications)? Can alerts be customized based on temperature thresholds?

   A. Our alerts are more advanced than temperature range alerts, as they dynamically adjust with the setpoint of each asset. This means that the Cold Chain built-in temperature rules are focused on flagging when the cargo/zone temperature reported is a specified amount of degrees (this value can be set up in the built-in cold chain rules, and it is called “threshold”) away from the setpoint of the zone by a certain selected period of time (this value can be set up in the built-in cold chain rules, and it is called “duration”).

   What can be customized is the amount of degrees above or below the setpoint (threshold setting) of each zone to consider when the cargo temperature is outside from the safe range. And another customizable aspect is how long (duration setting) it needs to be outside of this safe range to be considered a potential risk for the cargo.

   These built-in alerts rely on the main rules system of MYG, so the customer needs to set up the way they want to receive them. There are a lot of options to receive them to be honest (email, sms, notification in MYG, etc...).

   Q. How does the system differentiate between normal temperature fluctuations and actual temperature breaches?

   A. When connected to a refrigeration unit, the system uses the unit's user-configured setpoint temperature as the baseline (per zone, this means there are three built-in rules, one setpoint per zone). Users can then define a temperature threshold around this setpoint in MyGeotab. For example, with a 5°C setpoint and a 1°C threshold, temperatures between 4°C and 6°C are considered normal/safe fluctuations, provided they remain within that range for an acceptable duration (also user-defined). However, if the temperature falls below 4°C or rises above 6°C for longer than the acceptable time, it's considered a temperature breach.

   Q. How frequently is temperature data logged? What kind of reports can be generated (e.g., historical temperature logs, trip summaries, compliance reports)? Can the data be exported in different formats (e.g., CSV, PDF)? How long is data stored?

   A. The logging frequency is based on the refrigeration unit sensors that monitor and control the cargo temperature (sometimes multiple data values per minute). All data points logged by the sensors are transmitted to MyGeotab to be stored with a frequency lower than a data point per minute.

   Instructions on how to generate a proof-of-delivery document can be found in the Cold Chain view user guide (Cold Chain user guide), and the Engine Data Profile view is the one leveraged to create this report.

   Q. How is the system powered? Does it require a separate power source, or does it draw power from the vehicle? What happens in case of power loss?

   A. The system relies on the asset’s battery (for trailers, it is the battery of the refrigeration unit, and for non-rugged scenarios, it is connected to the vehicle battery).

   In power loss scenarios, if the GO device detects the voltage drops below a certain value, it will stop communicating to avoid further battery drain.

   When the refrigeration unit is off, the GO device enters Sleep mode. However, note that if the asset is moved without switching on the refrigeration unit, it will still wake up and communicate GPS.

   Q. Is the hardware ruggedized to withstand harsh environments (e.g., temperature extremes, vibrations)? What is the expected lifespan of the hardware? What is the warranty?

   A. Yes, the GO RUGGED and IOX-COLD RUGGED should cover all conditions required for such scenarios. The warranty of the GO RUGGED and new IOX follow the existing standard warranties.

   Q. Can different user roles be created with varying levels of access to the system?

   A. Yes, administrators can limit visibility of some data and access to the remote commands.

   Q. Which refrigeration unit brands and models are officially supported?

   A. The complete list can be found here: Cold Chain Harness Compatibility.

   Q. Can the system be used with dry vans or other non-refrigerated cargo?

   A. Yes, it's adaptable for dry vans or other non-refrigerated cargo, depending on the specific application. Examples include monitoring the temperature of non-refrigerated goods with external 1-wire temperature probes, or connecting to vehicles equipped only with a thermograph (EU market only).

   Q. Are there specific environmental conditions where the Cold Chain solution may not function optimally?

   A. The solution is initially prepared to support −40 to +85 °C scenarios, but should not have issues for lower temperatures of that range up to -60 ºC. For higher temperatures than 85 ºC, then there would be issues.

   Q. What network connectivity does the system rely on (e.g., LTE, 5G, satellite)?

   A. The system's functionality depends on the GO or GO RUGGED device network connection, which supports up to 4G. The GO/GO RUGGED then relays the data gathered by IOX-COLD/IOX-COLD RUGGED from the refrigeration unit to MyGeotab via server communication.

   Q. Can the system adjust fan speed or air circulation remotely?

   A. No, at the moment this feature is not supported since it potentially requires the OEM device to be installed and the cloud to cloud integration to be in place for the desired refrigeration unit.

   Q. Can the system predict temperature anomalies before they occur?

   A. No, at the moment this feature is not supported since it potentially requires the OEM device to be installed and the cloud to cloud integration to be in place for the desired refrigeration unit.

   Appendix

   Software guides

   Using the Cold Chain solution in MyGeotab

   The Cold Chain User Guide is a comprehensive, step-by-step guide on how to use the Cold Chain solution in MyGeotab.

   MyInstall tool for installations

   The MyInstall tool for GO device is a tool used to validate whether the GO device installation has been performed correctly and to allow communication between GO and IOX-UREADER devices.

   ✱ NOTE: It is mandatory to use the non-public MyInstall tool to complete an installation, which requires an installer account (How to create MyInstall installer credentials guide) created in MyAdmin to verify the installation and configure the devices. Ensure that an installer account has been created and the credentials have been shared with the installer prior to the installation.

   Device Installation Wizard (DIW), legacy installation tool

   The Device Installation Wizard for IOX-COLD/IOX-COLD RUGGED is the legacy tool used to verify that the IOX-COLD/IOX-COLD RUGGED installation has been performed correctly, and to send the necessary configuration to the IOX-COLD/IOX-COLD RUGGED to allow communication with the refrigeration unit. This tool should be used only when there are issues with the MyInstall tool.

   Refer to the Device Installation Wizard User Guide for more information.

   Hardware Guides

   GO Device Installation Guide

   The GO device installation guide is a short guide featuring the GO device installation steps to ensure the device installation is performed correctly.

   GO Device Rugged Installation Guide

   The GO device installation guide is a short guide featuring the GO device installation steps to ensure the device installation is performed correctly.

   IOX-COLD and IOX-COLD RUGGED Installation Guide

   The IOX-COLD/IOX-COLD RUGGED device installation guide is the guide featuring the installation steps to ensure the device installation is performed correctly.

   To understand the supported/read data points per refrigeration unit controllers (see Step 1 for Geotab HW: Pre-Deployment Steps to find the right controller depending the make/model of a refrigeration unit), please visit the Cold Chain Supported Features section in the IOX-COLD support document or the Cold Chain Supported Features section in the IOX-COLD RUGGED support document, and verify the available relevant functionalities depending on the controller’s name.

   Harnesses Guide

   The list of the required harnesses to connect to different make/model of refrigeration units is GEOTAB Truck Solution - Harnesses Identification and Application. And to find out which harness is needed per make/model of refrigeration unit can be found in Cold Chain Harness Compatibility [PUB].

   Installation guides per refrigeration unit make/model

   Vans/LCVs/Straight-Box-Rigid trucks

   Found the different tailored installation guide per make/model in the IOX-COLD and IOX-COLD RUGGED - Refrigeration Unit and Accessories Solutions Installation Guide (section Installation instructions)

   Trailers

   Found the different tailored installation guide per make/model in the IOX-COLD and IOX-COLD RUGGED - Refrigeration Unit and Accessories Solutions Installation Guide (section Installation instructions)

   Extra: