12 ft Refrigerated Trailer
Starting from $1,895 / month
The smallest trailer in the lineup. It fits tight lots and loading areas when a small walk-in cooler or freezer goes down.
Shelby, Montana Walk-In Cooler Trailer Rentals
Rental refrigeration is available in Shelby, Montana. HHrefrigeration rents refrigerated trailers, refrigerated containers, mobile kitchens, and dishwashing trailers to commercial and industrial customers in Shelby and across Toole County.
Shelby is a city in Toole County with about 3,270 residents (2023 Census Bureau estimate), and it is the county seat. Customers who rent in a place like this include grocers, school and care-home kitchens, restaurants, lodges and motels, farm and ranch operations, and the groups that run fairs, rodeos, and festivals. Rent for a few days to cover a repair, or lease for months through a renovation, a harvest, a construction project, or a seasonal peak.
Our phone line, (888) 385-5513, answers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If the need is planned, use the quote form below and tell us where in Shelby the unit will sit.
Shelby, MT at a glance
Numbers for Shelby that matter when planning a rental: how big it is, how spread out it is, and how far the next larger place sits.
Severe weather in Montana can change road conditions quickly, so confirm your site access the day before delivery and keep our number handy.
- Place: city in Toole County, Montana.
- Population: 3,270 (2023 Census Bureau estimate), number 17 of 20 Montana places on our list.
- Land area: 5.8 square miles, about 566 people per square mile.
- Elevation: about 3,297 feet.
- Shelby is the county seat of Toole County.
- Nearest larger place we list: Great Falls, 74 miles south.
- Other places we list within 50 miles: 0.
How we plan getting a trailer to Shelby
Every rental in Shelby starts with the address, not a warehouse. Here is how a request for Shelby, MT moves from call to cold storage:
- Call or send the form. Tell us the street address in Shelby, what failed or what you are planning, and the temperature you need. Emergencies go to (888) 385-5513.
- We match the unit. A 12 ft refrigerated trailer suits tight lots and small kitchens, a 20 ft trailer holds more, and a refrigerated container is for bulk storage over longer jobs.
- Roads that serve Shelby include I-15 and US-2. We confirm which approach suits a trailer, how the truck turns onto your site, and whether anything on the last few blocks is posted or restricted.
- Shelby is roughly 244 straight-line miles northwest of Billings, Montana's largest city on our list. A longer trip means we plan routes, weather, and delivery timing with more care, and we confirm both in your quote.
- We confirm power and placement. The 20 ft trailers list 220V, single phase, 40 to 60 amps with a NEMA plug, so have an electrician confirm your service. Pick a firm, level spot with room for the door to open and for the truck to reach it.
- Delivery and setup. On site, setup takes about 1 hour for a refrigeration unit, plus 4 to 6 hours if a ramp is needed or 5 to 15 minutes for stairs. Delivery timing, servicing, and minimum terms are written into your quote, and an inquiry does not reserve equipment.
Emergency refrigeration support in Shelby
Emergency support for Shelby runs through one number, (888) 385-5513, answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Have these details ready:
In Montana, calls like this often follow other and flood. Operators facing this risk can plan ahead with a refrigerated container rental for bulk cold storage or a mobile kitchen to keep serving.
For official emergency information in Montana, see Montana Disaster and Emergency Services. We are not an emergency agency; for danger to life, call 911.
- The address in Shelby (and the Toole County location if it is outside town limits).
- What failed: a walk-in cooler, a freezer, a compressor, or the power itself.
- How much product is at risk, and whether it must stay at 32°F (cooler) or near -5°F (freezer).
- The power available at the site and whether a truck can reach the spot.
- Keep doors closed until the unit arrives so the product holds its temperature as long as possible.
What drives cold-storage demand around Shelby
Average daytime highs run from about 28F in January to about 84F in July, with a statewide record high of 117F and a record low of -70F near Rogers Pass in 1954. Most larger cities get 30 to 50 inches of snow a year, and mountain ranges can see about 300 inches, mostly from November to March. Chinook winds east of the mountains can raise temperatures by 50F to 60F within hours. The hottest stretch runs july to August, and the coldest december to February. Both extremes put stress on commercial refrigeration in Shelby.
Shelby is the seat of Toole County, a Great Northern rail junction served by Amtrak's Empire Builder, with a freight yard known as the Port of Northern Montana, 35 miles south of the Canadian border. A rail and border logistics node supports cold-chain demand.
Shelby has long severe winters, constant wind near the Rocky Mountain Front, summer hail and a record low of -44F. Wind, hail and cold can cause outages and equipment stress.
Other risk in Montana (winter and spring): Chinook winds of 25 to 50 mph can warm temperatures by 50F to 60F for 10 days or longer; at Loma in 1972 the temperature rose 103F in a day. Wild temperature swings and wind can damage equipment and power lines.
Flood risk in Montana (late winter to spring): A March 1944 ice jam on the Yellowstone River caused flooding that reached Miles City. Ice-jam and river flooding can isolate towns and take out kitchens and cold rooms.
A 1989 train wreck in Helena caused an explosion, a citywide power outage and evacuations. Large outages can spoil refrigerated inventory across a whole city.
Food service and business in Shelby
The kinds of operations that rent refrigeration in a community like Shelby are grocers, school and care-home kitchens, restaurants, lodges and motels, farm and ranch operations, and the groups that run fairs, rodeos, and festivals.
Billings has a Western Sugar Cooperative plant that processes sugar beets, and Great Falls has a 197-acre AgriTech Park (Cargill is among its tenants) on a former rail yard. Food processing and storage facilities depend on cold-chain capacity.
Great Falls has a long milling history: Royal Milling (founded 1892) made half the state's flour within seven years, and Montana Flour Mills opened in 1916. Grain and flour logistics are a core part of the area's food economy.
Shelby customers use refrigeration trailers in three common ways: as emergency cover for a failed walk-in, as extra capacity during a peak (a harvest, a festival, a holiday week), and as temporary cold storage during a renovation. See rental prices for what each unit costs, or how to plan your site before delivery.
Demand also rises around events in Montana: Eastern Montana Fair (late August); Little Big Horn Days (June (third weekend)). Vendors and caterers can need temporary refrigeration.
Equipment you can rent in Shelby
Refrigeration is our focus, and Shelby customers rent the same four units as the rest of Montana:
Many Shelby requests pair cold storage with a mobile kitchen rental or a dishwashing trailer rental, so a facility can cook, serve, and clean up during a repair or renovation.
20 ft Refrigerated Trailer
Starting from $1,895 / month
The workhorse. A 20 ft trailer comes as a 32°F cooler or as a low-temperature freezer configuration, so you can match what failed.
20 ft Refrigerated Container
Starting from $2,995 / month
A stationary cold storage box for bulk product, built for longer projects, seasonal peaks, and renovations.
40 ft Refrigerated Container
Starting from $3,995 / month
The largest cold storage option. It takes pallets and bulk product for food distribution, disaster response, and large facilities.
Requirements for renting a refrigerated trailer in Shelby
Renting a refrigerated trailer in Shelby is simple, but a few items decide whether it runs smoothly on the first day.
Montana Disaster and Emergency Services, within the Department of Military Affairs, is the lead emergency management agency and publishes preparedness resources, a situational awareness dashboard and drought resources. Operators can check the dashboard for active emergencies when planning temporary kitchens or cold storage.
CDC guidance says a closed refrigerator keeps food safe for up to 4 hours without power and a full freezer for about 48 hours; after that, perishable food such as meat, fish, eggs and milk should be discarded. The 4-hour window is why operators often need replacement refrigeration quickly after a power loss; confirm Montana retail and temporary food rules with the local health department.
- Customer type: commercial or industrial only (restaurants, grocers, healthcare, schools, hospitality, distributors, government). We do not rent to residential customers.
- Power: 220V, single phase, 40 to 60 amps for the 20 ft trailers, with a NEMA plug. Ask your electrician to confirm the circuit at your Shelby site before delivery.
- Placement: a firm, level surface with room for the trailer, its door swing, and the delivery truck. Soft ground, steep slopes, and overhead lines are the usual problems.
- Access: send the gate or door width, any low clearances, and the best approach into the property.
- Permission: if you rent the property, get the owner or manager's approval to place a trailer. For food-safety questions, contact Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services.
- Paperwork: your quote lists the unit, the rental length, delivery, setup, servicing, and minimum terms. An inquiry does not reserve equipment.
Roads, routes, and access around Shelby
Highways and routes tied to Shelby:
Shelby sits at about 3,297 feet above sea level.
Nearby places we also serve: Great Falls (74 miles south), Havre (100 miles east).
- I-15: Shelby sits at the intersection of I-15 and US-2.
- US-2: Intersects I-15 at Shelby.
Rental prices for Shelby at a glance
Rates are the same nationwide. Rentals start from $1,895 / month for a 12 ft trailer, and the price sheet prints a separate rate for 1-6 days, 8-14 days, 15 days to 1 month, and more than 3 months. See every rate. Delivery to Shelby, setup, servicing, and minimum terms are confirmed in your quote.
More of Montana and the Mountain West
Shelby is one of the places we list in Montana, and Montana is part of our Mountain West service area. Browse the Montana service area for every city page in the state, or the full service-area map.
Rental terms at a glance
Rentals run by the week or by the month, with short-term and long-term options, and we answer calls 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Setup on site takes about 1 hour for a refrigeration unit and about 5 hours for a kitchen or dishwashing trailer; a ramp adds 4 to 6 hours and stairs add 5 to 15 minutes. GPS tracking is possible on request. Delivery, setup, servicing, and minimum terms are confirmed in your quote, and an inquiry does not reserve equipment.
Cold storage down? Call now.
Emergency refrigeration rentals in Shelby, MT.
If a walk-in cooler or freezer has stopped holding temperature, call now. Tell us your city and state, what failed, how much product is at risk, and what power is on site. Keep doors closed to hold the cold while we work out the right trailer or container for you.
Shelby rental questions
Do you rent refrigerated trailers in Shelby, Montana?
Yes. HHrefrigeration rents refrigerated trailers, refrigerated containers, mobile kitchens, and dishwashing trailers to commercial and industrial customers in Shelby and Toole County. Call (888) 385-5513 or send the quote form with your address. An inquiry does not reserve equipment; availability, delivery, and terms are confirmed in your quote.
How do I get a trailer if Shelby is far from a major city?
We plan the delivery from your street address, not from a fixed point on the map. Shelby is about 244 miles northwest of Billings, so we confirm the route, the final approach, and the timing with you in the quote.
What power does a refrigerated trailer need in Shelby?
The 20 ft refrigerated trailers list 220V, single phase, 40 to 60 amps, with a NEMA plug. Have a licensed electrician confirm your service at the Shelby site before delivery, and send the voltage, phase, and amps with your request.
Who do I contact about food safety rules in Toole County?
Start with Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (https://dphhs.mt.gov/). Rules vary by jurisdiction, so check with them before you place temporary refrigeration or a temporary kitchen.
Can I rent a mobile kitchen or dishwashing trailer in Shelby too?
Yes. When a kitchen is down, we rent mobile kitchens from 24 ft to 40 ft and dishwashing trailers from 22 ft to 38 ft. Many Shelby customers pair them with a refrigerated trailer so they can cook, serve, and clean up while permanent equipment is repaired.
What should I do before other season in Montana?
Know your site's power and placement details, keep our number ((888) 385-5513) handy, and call early if a forecast puts your walk-in at risk. Other risk in Montana is highest winter and spring.
Sources for local facts
Sources
Local facts on this page come from public sources. Population is the Census Bureau's 2023 estimate.
What to send for a fast quote
- The city and state where the unit will sit
- What failed and how much product is at risk
- Cooler (32°F) or freezer temperature needed
- Power available at the site: voltage, phase, and amps
- Access: gate or door width, surface, and where the unit will be placed
- How long you expect to need it
Prefer to talk? Call (888) 385-5513 any time.