Refrigerated vehicles include vans, trucks and semi-trailers that have an insulated, thermostatically controlled cargo compartment and a dedicated refrigeration unit capable of maintaining a controlled temperature range.

Vans and small trucks typically have refrigeration units powered directly by the vehicle's engine. Larger trucks and semi-trailers have independent, diesel-powered refrigeration units. Both types may also have electrical backup so that they can be plugged into the main electric grid when parked.

Further guidance on how to transport vaccines using refrigerated vehicles is provided in WHO Technical Report Series, No. 961, Annex 9: Model guidance for the storage and transport of time- and temperature-sensitive pharmaceutical products, Supplement 12: Temperature controlled transport operations by road and by air (May 2015).

Guidance on the loading and operating of refrigerated vehicles is available in the generic operating procedure E7-05: Loading and operating refrigerated vehicles, issued by WHO's Effective Vaccines Management Initiative. National immunization programmes should review and adapt this guidance to the national vaccine handling procedure and to standardize procedures when using refrigerated vehicles.

Temperature monitoring devices (TMDs) are a key component of a quality-assured, temperature-controlled transport system. TMDs are specified in the PQS performance specification E002/RV01.2: Refrigerated vehicles.

Guidance for the choice of appropriate refrigerated vehicles is forthcoming from WHO.

End-users of insulated containers and their procurement agents are advised to consider the following points when choosing vaccine storage equipment from this category:

• For each vehicle used to deliver vaccines, the routine trips must be mapped, recording the destinations, the typical time needed to complete the journey either as a "loop trip" or a "there-and-back trip" and, if needed, the location of power outlets 415/230-volt sockets for emergency back-up cooling. The time each vehicle will require to compete the delivery route should be estimated. (See WHO Technical Report Series, No. 961, Annex 9: Model guidance for the storage and transport of time- and temperature-sensitive pharmaceutical products, Supplement 14: Transport route profiling qualification (May 2015)).
• Any load sharing with vaccines and other temperature sensitive products should be agreed, as part of an integrated supply chain implementation. (See, for example, Optimize: Tunisia Report (April 2013) and a discussion facilitated by WHO, UNICEF and the GAVI Alliance (3 January 2014).
• Future load volumes should be estimated to the extent possible. See the Vaccine volume calculator 2012 and the Vaccine volume calculator manual.
• It is always important to adhere to the proper loading protocol of refrigerated vehicles, including any requirements to maintain a minimum distance from ceiling, walls and cooling units.
• During route planning and selection of refrigerated transport vehicles, it is important to verify that each vehicle will not only provide the net storage capacity needed for all the distribution points on a single route but also meet the needs of the operating environment. (See WHO Technical Report Series, No. 961, Annex 9: Model guidance for the storage and transport of time- and temperature-sensitive pharmaceutical products, Supplement 12: Temperature controlled transport operations by road and by air (May 2015).) When transporting by truck it is also important to estimate the weight of vaccine shipments to ensure that the maximum load limit of a vehicle is not exceeded and that roadway restrictions are observed to avoid delays or problems at checkpoints.

Calculate net storage capacity by multiplying the gross volume by the standard utilization factor of 0.67.

Performance specification

PQS performance specification E002/RV01.1: Refrigerated vehicles

Verification protocol

PQS type-examination protocol E002/RV01-VP.1: Refrigerated vehicles

Guidance for manufacturers/suppliers

Guidelines on the international packaging and shipping of vaccines

IMD-PQS Guideines for Prequalification Holders

Supporting information for users

How to calculate vaccine volumes and cold chain capacity requirements