Proudly Serving Colton, California
Built at the literal crossing of two railroads and still known as the "Hub City" today, Colton is just up the road from our Fontana headquarters — and Patterson Trans Inc is proud to keep freight moving through it.Colton businesses can coordinate refrigerated freight service, temperature-controlled trucking, and appointment-sensitive deliveries with Patterson’s nearby Fontana team.
Reefer Transportation at the Inland Empire’s Historic Crossroads
Colton’s transportation identity is visible in the map itself. Interstate 10 and Interstate 215 meet near the city, major rail lines cross here, and the Agua Mansa industrial corridor extends through a broader logistics district shared with neighboring communities. Patterson Trans Inc serves Colton from its established Fontana headquarters, placing experienced refrigerated dispatch support close to one of the Inland Empire’s most active freight crossroads. The city offers excellent regional connections, but those connections also bring congestion, rail activity, interchange delays and heavy commercial traffic. We plan pickups and deliveries with those realities in mind. A successful refrigerated move depends on more than choosing the nearest freeway; it requires confirming the legal approach, the receiving entrance, the appointment and the product’s temperature requirements. Our local operating perspective helps turn Colton’s extensive transportation network into a practical route rather than a source of avoidable uncertainty.
Patterson Trans Inc coordinates reefer FTL, refrigerated LTL and cross-dock freight for Colton through its nearby Fontana operation.
Coverage
Areas we serve near Colton
From the historic rail yards to the warehouses along the I-10 and I-215, our team covers Colton end to end.
Downtown Colton sits close to the historic rail crossing, Eighth Street and the I-10/I-215 interchange. Rail movements and short commercial blocks can affect the final approach to a receiver. Patterson Trans Inc can confirm the correct entrance, appointment time and temperature requirement before routing a refrigerated truck from nearby Fontana.
South Colton includes industrial and rail-oriented properties extending toward the Agua Mansa area. Large facilities may have separate employee, security and truck gates, making dock instructions as important as the street address. Dispatchers can review check-in procedures, trailer type and scheduled receiving hours for temperature-controlled freight.
The La Cadena corridor follows an older north–south route through Colton, with historic frontage and connections toward Grand Terrace and Riverside. Delivery access varies by property and may not match the most obvious public entrance. Patterson Trans Inc can verify the truck approach and time-sensitive handling needs before dispatch.
Reche Canyon Road climbs southeast from Colton through a winding canyon corridor toward Moreno Valley. Grade, road geometry and the exact destination can determine whether a requested movement is appropriate for a larger refrigerated trailer. Patterson Trans Inc will review equipment fit and current service availability before scheduling.
Colton’s I-10/I-215 junction is one of the Inland Empire’s key highway and rail crossroads. Freight appointments near the interchange should identify the correct industrial street and facility gate instead of relying only on the freeway exit. Dispatch can coordinate full-truckload, less-than-truckload or cross-dock needs from Fontana.
Common Questions
Colton, CA — frequently asked
What is Colton known for?+
Colton is known as the "Hub City" for being built at the crossing of two major railroads, for the historic Colton Crossing where BNSF and Union Pacific lines still meet, and for Slover Mountain, once quarried for the marble and cement used in landmarks like the Hoover Dam.
How old is the city of Colton?+
Colton was founded in 1875 when the Southern Pacific Railroad laid out the town site, and it officially incorporated as a city on July 11, 1887 — making it one of the older established cities in the Inland Empire.
Does Patterson Trans Inc have a location in Colton?+
Our yard is based just up the road in Fontana at 13414 Slover Ave First Floor, open Monday–Friday 8am–5pm, and we serve Colton as part of our regular coverage area. Call us at (909) 367-2848.
What was the Colton "Frog War"?+
In 1883, the California Southern Railroad and Southern Pacific Railroad clashed over building a crossing through Colton, with Southern Pacific hiring lawman Virgil Earp to block construction with a locomotive. A court order and the county sheriff eventually forced the standoff to end peacefully, and the crossing was built.
Do BNSF and Union Pacific still run through Colton today?+
Yes. BNSF and Union Pacific, the successors to the original California Southern and Southern Pacific railroads, still operate significant rail yards and lines through Colton, and a 2013 flyover now separates their tracks at the historic Colton Crossing.
Get a Quote for Colton Refrigerated Freight
Whether you're near the historic rail corridor, the I-10/I-215 interchange, or a Colton warehouse, we already know how freight moves through this city. Call Patterson Trans Inc at (909) 367-2848 or request a free quote to get your refrigerated freight moving safely and on time.
Nearby
Also serving cities near Colton
Historical facts sourced from Wikipedia, the City of Colton, San Bernardino County historical records, and True West Magazine.
Photography, official sources & reuse notes
- Colton Area Museum — Oleknutlee · public domain
- Agua Mansa Museum — Johnwayne Stroud · CC BY-SA 3.0
- Union Pacific freight at Colton — Clay Gilliland · CC BY-SA 2.0
- Mayor information — official municipal source, verified August 19, 2026.
- City and chamber marks are used only to identify linked civic resources; no endorsement is implied.
- Eighth Street, late 1910s — unknown photographer · public domain