A food industry publication recently named Florida-based Burnsed Trucking, which specializes in the transportation of fresh fish and seafood, its Top Refrigerated Trucking Service of 2025.
“With widespread bankruptcies and a deepening freight recession, Burnsed has emerged as a pillar of consistency for companies seeking expert quality and service regarding customer refrigerated transportation,” the company said in a news release.
The refrigerated freight sector, especially seafood, has seen long-standing carriers struggle, with fly-by-night brokers and cheap carriers trying to enter sectors that have fared better amid current economic strains, Burnsed reported. And with many carriers collapsing under cost pressures, it’s critical for shippers to keep a core carrier in place. Disruptions across the supply chain have highlighted the importance of working with dependable partners negotiate the right deals.
“Spreading resources across multiple unvetted carriers and brokers weakens the logistics ecosystem and creates unsafe practices,” Greg Banks, Burnsed CRO and EVP of sales, said in a news release. “Now is the time to vet your carrier for safety, stability, and expertise to ensure the integrity of your supply chain—and make sure you’re building the right short and long-term relationships.”
What to look for in a carrier or broker, according to Burnsed:
- Safety: Choose partners with clean safety scores, ongoing driver training, and rigorous fleet compliance.
- Assets: Look for carriers with modern, temperature-controlled equipment, and real-time monitoring tech.
- Track record: Experience in seafood matters. Carriers with deep roots in perishable logistics deliver fewer surprises.
- Leadership: Strong logistics management enables adaptability during economic downturns and market volatility.
