Pharmaceutical and biotechnology transport, California wide
Cold chain that holds, custody records that survive an audit, and drivers trained on what happens when a shipment excursions. Clinical trial material, specialty pharmacy, biologics and controlled substances.
- GDP aligned
- 2 to 8 degrees C validated
- Continuous temperature logging
- Chain of custody
- 24/7 dispatch
Marvin Transportation has run pharmaceutical biotechnology across California since the company started, with dispatch open around the clock and proof of delivery on every job.
Pharmaceutical freight is judged on the record as much as the delivery. If the temperature log has a gap, the product is questionable no matter how fast it arrived. We built our pharma handling around that reality: validated packaging, continuous monitoring, and an excursion procedure the driver actually knows.
We move product for manufacturers, specialty pharmacies, clinical research sites, CROs and distributors across California, plus Dallas-Fort Worth lanes. Work ranges from a single ambient-controlled courier run to recurring cold chain routes with fixed departure times.
What we move for pharma and biotech
Cold chain is the headline, but most accounts also have ambient and controlled work on the same route.
Biologics and vaccines
2 to 8 degrees C transport with continuous logging, from manufacturer or distributor into pharmacies, clinics and vaccination sites.
Clinical trial material
Investigational product outbound to sites and sample returns inbound, with the documentation your monitor will ask for.
Specialty pharmacy
Patient-specific and high-value therapies, including time-defined delivery and signature at the door.
Controlled substances
Scheduled drug transfers under documented custody with restricted handling and sign-off at both ends.
Bulk API and excipients
Palletized raw material between plants, contract manufacturers and warehouses on a DOT-compliant fleet.
Reagents and lab consumables
Refrigerated and frozen reagents into research and QC labs, on scheduled runs where volume justifies it.
Why pharma accounts stay
Validated cold chain, not a cooler
Refrigerated vehicles running 2 to 8 degrees C and frozen down to -20 degrees F, with continuous monitoring and a log attached to every delivery record.
An excursion procedure drivers know
If a reading goes out of range the driver stops, calls dispatch and follows a written procedure. You get a notification while the shipment is still recoverable.
GDP-aligned handling
Storage, transport and handover follow Good Distribution Practice principles end to end, and the records are built to be shown to an auditor.
Controlled substance discipline
Restricted access, two-party sign-off where required, and custody documentation that closes the loop on every transfer.
Named drivers on recurring lanes
Cold chain routes get assigned drivers who know the packaging, the loading rules and the receiving contact at each site.
Statewide plus DFW
Bay Area, Sacramento, Central Valley and Southern California on one contract, with Dallas-Fort Worth lanes when you need them.
Compliance and cold chain controls
The controls below are standard on pharma work rather than an upgrade you have to ask for.
- Good Distribution Practice aligned handling from pickup through handover
- Validated 2 to 8 degrees C and frozen transport with continuous temperature logging
- Written excursion procedure with driver training and dispatch escalation
- Chain of custody records with release and receipt signatures at every leg
- Restricted handling and documented sign-off for controlled substances
- DOT registered fleet, FMCSA hours of service and ELD compliance
- Cargo insurance with certificates issued on request, higher limits available
How a run works
Scope the lane
Product, temperature range, packaging, pickup window, receiving hours and what happens on an excursion. Written down before the first run.
Vehicle and packaging assignment
We match the vehicle class and monitoring to the product, and confirm whether your packaging or ours governs the temperature.
Monitored transport
Continuous logging in transit. Dispatch sees the route and the driver has an escalation path if anything drifts.
Documented handover
Signature, timestamp and temperature log delivered together, so the receiving site has a complete record at the moment of delivery.
Services these accounts use most
Temperature controlled
Validated refrigerated and frozen transport with continuous monitoring, the backbone of pharma work.
Medical courier
HIPAA-trained handling for patient-specific and clinical material.
TSA air cargo
TSA certified airport pickup and delivery at SFO, LAX, OAK and SAN for time-critical inbound product.
Line haul
Fixed intercity lanes between plants, distributors and pharmacies with contract rates.
Questions we get from this sector
What temperature ranges can you hold?
Refrigerated 2 to 8 degrees C is standard for biologics and vaccines. We also run frozen down to -20 degrees F and controlled ambient. Every temperature-controlled run is logged continuously.
Do you provide temperature logs with delivery?
Yes. The log attaches to the delivery record and arrives with the proof of delivery, so the receiving site has the complete picture at handover rather than days later.
What happens if a shipment excursions in transit?
The driver follows a written procedure: stop, secure the load, call dispatch. Dispatch notifies your contact while the shipment is still recoverable and documents the event in the custody record.
Can you transport controlled substances?
Yes, under documented custody with restricted handling and sign-off at both ends. Tell us the schedule and the receiving facility requirements and we will confirm the handling plan in writing.
Do you handle clinical trial material and sample returns?
Yes, both directions. Investigational product outbound to sites and sample returns inbound, with documentation suited to monitor review.
Are you GDP compliant?
Our handling is aligned to Good Distribution Practice principles across storage, transport and handover, and our records are built to be produced for an audit. We are happy to walk your quality team through the procedure.
Talk to us about your cold chain lane
Send the product, the temperature range and the schedule. We will come back with a handling plan and a rate, not a brochure.
Pharmaceutical Biotechnology across California
We handle pharmaceutical biotechnology for businesses across the Bay Area, Sacramento, the Central Valley and Southern California. Vehicles are DOT registered, cargo is fully insured, and every job closes with a signature or photo proof of delivery. One-off or recurring, dispatch can price it on the call rather than sending you a form.
Carrier standards for this work are set by the HHS HIPAA guidance. For everything else we run, see our California logistics services.