More than a carrier's requirements and a shipper's standards, a truck driver is often placed in the decision-making driver's seat. He (or she) is the one to decide whether a washout is needed, when and where to get one, and defend their decisions to other stakeholders. The end result could range from shipper satisfaction with their trailer sanitation to a return to the washout location for a re-clean.  

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The carrier entrusted with hauling a fresh produce load may not make the final decision on trailer sanitation. Without a buyer’s specification requiring trailer sanitation documentation, the shipper has discretion to accept or reject a trailer’s sanitary condition.

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But anyone who has transported fresh produce loads knows that buyers and their shippers will look to the truck to pay for any and all costs associated with a rejected load.  

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Compare the expense of a rejected load and its associated costs to the price of a documented trailer sanitation service (not a typical washout), and it is easy to see that choosing a professional service will limit exposure to serious financial, legal, and relational risks.