Answers About Trailer Leasing, Sales, Service & Equipment

One month is Jilco's standard minimum rental period, with month-to-month options and longer arrangements available. Shorter terms — as short as one week — may be available depending on your needs and current availability. Terms are structured around your budget, duration, and fleet size, so a short seasonal push and an ongoing part of your fleet can both be accommodated.

Yes. Every Jilco refrigerated trailer lease includes a Full Maintenance Agreement covering scheduled preventative maintenance (PM), as well as maintenance and equipment issues or failures while the equipment is on lease, handled by Jilco's in-house technicians. Physical damage, negligence, and tire blowouts are excluded. You don't manage or budget for routine upkeep — that's part of the lease, which helps lower your overall cost of operating the trailer compared to owning one outright.

No. Jilco's lease pricing is flat-rate — there are no additional charges for mileage or refrigeration unit hours. That keeps your invoice predictable and avoids one of the most common sources of surprise costs in trailer leasing. Ask Jilco for a quote specific to your trailer size and term length.

Jilco's standard minimum term is one month. Shorter terms — as short as one week — may be available depending on your needs and current availability, which can work well for seasonal demand spikes, a temporary cold storage need, or covering a short equipment gap. Contact Jilco to check what's possible for your timeframe.

The right trailer depends on your cargo type, temperature requirements, and route length. Jilco's team will walk you through trailer sizes, unit types, and configurations so you choose the right fit before you commit — whether that's produce, dairy, pharmaceuticals, or frozen goods. Contact Jilco to talk through your specific load.

Leasing includes maintenance and lets you scale down if business slows, with no ongoing cost once the trailer is returned. Buying means you own the asset outright, but you're responsible for all maintenance and continue carrying ownership costs regardless of how much the trailer is used. The right choice depends on your cash flow, usage pattern, and growth plans.

Jilco's Full Maintenance Agreement covers the leased trailer while it's on lease. That means scheduled preventative maintenance (PM), plus maintenance and any equipment issues or failures that come up during the lease — all handled by Jilco's in-house technicians, so you don't manage or budget for upkeep yourself. Physical damage, negligence, and tire blowouts are excluded. A Limited Maintenance Agreement, where you retain some maintenance responsibility, is also available as an alternate agreement type. Contact Jilco to confirm which agreement applies to your lease.

Both. Jilco sells refrigerated trailers outright and also offers leasing and rental options if you'd rather not buy. Ownership makes sense for some operations, while leasing keeps maintenance and long-term cost off your plate for others. Contact Jilco to discuss which approach fits your budget and how the trailer will be used.

A 30-day limited warranty is available in most cases on trailers Jilco sells. Every trailer is fully serviced and federally inspected before delivery, so it arrives ready to operate. Contact Jilco for warranty details specific to the trailer you're considering, since coverage can vary by unit.

Jilco carries Carrier and Thermo King refrigeration equipment — both industry-standard manufacturers, fully supported by Jilco's certified technicians. Trailer availability, not brand, usually decides which unit you get, though Jilco will do its best to match a preference if you have one. Contact Jilco for current inventory.

Yes. Jilco's team will walk you through refrigerated trailer types, sizes, and manufacturers to help you choose the right configuration for your operation before you commit to a purchase. This consultation is free and doesn't require any commitment — contact Jilco to start the conversation.

Confirm the trailer has been fully serviced and federally inspected, ask about the refrigeration unit's manufacturer and service history, and confirm what warranty coverage applies before you buy. Every trailer Jilco sells already meets this standard — contact Jilco for inspection documentation and warranty details on a specific unit you're considering.

Jilco maintains a fleet of 660+ refrigerated trailers across its two New Jersey locations, giving customers availability for both single-trailer needs and large multi-unit requests. That scale means Jilco can typically accommodate a sudden increase in demand as well as a long-term fleet arrangement. Contact Jilco to check current availability for your timeline and trailer size.

Jilco offers Diesel, Electric, and Diesel-Electric (hybrid) refrigeration units, all from Carrier and Thermo King. Diesel units can operate over the road, electric units are built for stationary use, and hybrid units combine elements of both. Contact Jilco to match a unit type to your operation and location.

Yes. Jilco's refrigerated trailers can be set for chilled or frozen cargo, from produce and dairy to deep-frozen goods, with some units offering multi-temperature capability for loads that need two different zones. Confirm the specific setpoint range and configuration for your product with Jilco before your shipment.

Jilco offers 28', 36', 48', and 53' refrigerated trailers, covering everything from tighter dock access and shorter hauls to full-size long-haul freight. The same fleet serves single-trailer leases, purchases, and full fleet buildouts, so contact Jilco to talk through which size best fits your cargo volume and route.

Jilco's refrigerated trailers support temperatures from -20°F up to 70°F, covering deep-frozen cargo, chilled goods like produce, dairy, and pharmaceuticals, and warmer above-refrigeration applications — within the same fleet. Exact capability depends on the specific trailer, refrigeration unit, configuration, operating conditions, and application. Confirm the exact setpoint range for your specific product with Jilco before committing to a unit.

Yes. Jilco provides 24/7/365 emergency refrigeration service and roadside assistance, including weekends, through Jilco's own service team within its core delivery area. Outside that area, Jilco has access to a network of third-party service providers to help — response times for that network aren't guaranteed the way Jilco's direct service is. This is separate from regular business hours — emergency support is available even when a shop location is closed. If a trailer goes down, contact your nearest Jilco location or call for emergency support.

You reach the Service Manager directly — not a phone tree, call center, or answering service. Both Jilco locations are staffed by hands-on service managers who can address your needs immediately during business hours, so you're always talking to someone who can actually resolve the issue.

If Jilco can't repair a trailer in the field, a replacement trailer is provided at no additional cost so your operation isn't left without equipment. This applies to equipment failures; it excludes damage caused by the customer. Contact Jilco's service team to arrange a replacement if this happens to you.

Watch for excessive noise, longer-than-normal cooling times, oil leaks, and temperature inconsistencies — these are the most common warning signs a reefer unit needs service. Catching these early, rather than waiting for a full breakdown, is usually the difference between a routine repair and an emergency one.

The most frequent issues are dead batteries, fuel problems such as running out or dirty fuel, low oil or oil leaks, and worn belts. Operating the unit with the rear door not completely closed is also a common, avoidable cause of service calls. Staying current on preventative maintenance helps prevent most of these from becoming a breakdown.

Check the unit's display for a fault or alarm code, confirm there's fuel in a diesel unit or building power in an electric unit, and make sure the rear door is fully closed and sealed. If that doesn't resolve it, call Jilco's service line and report any fault code you saw — it helps the technician arrive better prepared.

No. Service requests are handled by phone during business hours — Jilco does not currently offer online scheduling. Call Jilco's service team directly to arrange routine service, and use the same line for anything that can't wait until regular business hours resume.

Keep fuel levels adequate, check electrical connections regularly, keep the rear door closed as much as possible, and clean the condenser coils on a regular basis. Condenser cleaning in particular is one of the most overlooked steps, and one of the easiest ways to prevent a costly repair down the line.

Yes. Jilco supplies parts for refrigerated trailers as part of its full-service offering, alongside leasing, sales, and service. Contact either location with your trailer's make, model, and refrigeration unit manufacturer to confirm current availability for the specific part you need before you visit or schedule installation.

Jilco serves New Jersey, southeastern New York State and New York City, Philadelphia, Eastern Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Maryland from its two New Jersey locations in Cranbury and Gloucester City. Both locations offer the same core services, so either can help regardless of where in the region you're located. Delivery fees apply and vary by location. Customers outside this core area can still work with Jilco — contact Jilco directly to confirm availability.

Jilco operates two full-service New Jersey locations: Cranbury, at 377 Cranbury-Half Acre Rd (Cranbury, NJ 08512), and Gloucester City, at 750 Charles St (Gloucester City, NJ 08030). Neither location is designated a headquarters — both offer the same core services, including leasing, sales, service, and parts.

Both Jilco locations are open Monday–Thursday 7:00 AM–4:00 PM and Friday 7:00 AM–3:30 PM, closed Saturday and Sunday. Those are the regular business hours for routine calls, sales visits, and scheduling — 24-hour emergency service remains available at both locations outside these hours, including weekends.

Jilco has been providing refrigerated trailer solutions since 1967 — nearly 60 years in business. The company has been family-owned since the 1980s, and that history spans leasing, sales, service, and parts, built around the same two New Jersey locations and the long-term customer relationships Jilco still relies on today.

Yes. Jilco is family-owned and operated, which shapes how the company approaches customer relationships and long-term accountability compared to large national fleet companies. Jilco was founded in 1967 and has been family-owned since the 1980s, when the current family purchased the business — and that ownership continues to guide how the company is run today.

Contact Jilco by phone or through the website's quote request form with your trailer needs — size, term length, and intended use. A Jilco team member will follow up personally to discuss options and availability rather than routing you through an automated system or generic form response.

Yes. Trailer pickup is available at both Jilco locations — contact your Jilco location in advance so your trailer is ready when you arrive. For returns, coordinate logistics with your account contact ahead of your lease end date to keep the handoff simple and avoid any delay.

Jilco works with food distribution, grocery, produce, beverage distribution, pharmaceutical, and floral businesses, along with cold chain logistics providers and transportation companies across the Northeast. If your industry isn't listed here, contact Jilco directly — most cold chain and temperature-sensitive operations can be accommodated with the right trailer and unit type.

Your inquiry is reviewed personally by a member of the Jilco team, not routed through a call center or automated queue. During business hours, service questions reach the Service Manager directly, and sales questions reach an account representative who can walk you through your options. Contact Jilco to get started.

Jilco accepts ACH, EFTs, Wire Transfer, Cash, Debit, Visa, Mastercard, AMEX, and Discover for both leases and purchases. If you have a question about a specific payment arrangement, invoicing schedule, or account setup, contact Jilco's billing team directly rather than the general sales line.

Yes. Jilco works with businesses operating across multiple locations and encourages fleet accounts — one vendor relationship for leasing, sales, service, and parts across your whole operation, rather than juggling separate providers at each site. Contact Jilco to discuss how a fleet account can be structured around your specific locations and trailer needs.