A method to control a transport heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system having a fresh air intake, comprising: monitoring an air quality, a set point temperature, and a passenger compartment temperature within a passenger compartment (125, 225), and monitoring an ambient temperature, characterized in that the method further comprises: determining whether the passenger compartment temperature is within a threshold range of the set point temperature, and when the passenger compartment temperature is within the threshold range of the set point temperature: determining whether a fresh air condition is met based on the monitoring; opening a fresh air damper when the fresh air condition is met; and increasing an evaporator fan speed in response to opening the fresh air damper, wherein the fresh air condition includes a minimum air quality threshold, the fresh air condition being met when the monitoring identifies an air quality that is below the minimum air quality threshold, and when the passenger compartment temperature is not within the threshold range of the set point temperature, determining whether the ambient temperature is either within an ambient temperature threshold range above the set point temperature or within the ambient temperature threshold range below the set point temperature, and when the ambient temperature is either within the ambient temperature threshold range above the set point temperature or within the ambient temperature threshold range below the set point temperature: opening the fresh air damper and increasing the evaporator fan speed in response to opening the fresh air damper. determining whether the passenger compartment temperature is within a threshold range of the set point temperature, and when the passenger compartment temperature is within the threshold range of the set point temperature: determining whether a fresh air condition is met based on the monitoring; opening a fresh air damper when the fresh air condition is met; and increasing an evaporator fan speed in response to opening the fresh air damper, wherein the fresh air condition includes a minimum air quality threshold, the fresh air condition being met when the monitoring identifies an air quality that is below the minimum air quality threshold, and determining whether a fresh air condition is met based on the monitoring; opening a fresh air damper when the fresh air condition is met; and increasing an evaporator fan speed in response to opening the fresh air damper, wherein the fresh air condition includes a minimum air quality threshold, the fresh air condition being met when the monitoring identifies an air quality that is below the minimum air quality threshold, and when the passenger compartment temperature is not within the threshold range of the set point temperature, determining whether the ambient temperature is either within an ambient temperature threshold range above the set point temperature or within the ambient temperature threshold range below the set point temperature, and when the ambient temperature is either within the ambient temperature threshold range above the set point temperature or within the ambient temperature threshold range below the set point temperature: opening the fresh air damper and increasing the evaporator fan speed in response to opening the fresh air damper.