dry van versus reefer

Lots of waiting on the reefer side,with food.
Sucks to start your clock,wait 4 hours,to get loaded or unloaded,then drive for another 10.

 

Good about reefer is everyone needs food so slow downs are not as bad.

 

Reefer usually pays more but is a bigger hassle. Plenty of people get used to it and thrive. Dry van generally doesn't pay quite as much but is easier, with much less night driving and no hassles filling a reefer, getting trailer washed out, maintaining the reefer unit, or getting barked at by other drivers every time you try to park.

Also like crxdc just said reefer freight tends to be more consistent year round.

 

Personally I love drivin reefer. That dry box daytime mess can get annoying, and whenever some whiney beech driver cries about my unit runnin at the truck stop it gives me an opportunity to flex my middle finger muscle. You don't like the sound of diesel motors go be a hairdresser. I was FLOORED the first time someone whined.

Reefer IS a bit more of a pain in the rear, what with goofy appointment times, live loads/unloads etc but it's worth it. All the talk on here about frieght being down, guys havin to sit for days waitin on a load, etc.....the only time I've ever had to sit ever has been if I wanted to. Course ya gotta know where to stay out of, and where the good freight is, but hopefully roehl does the heavy liftin for ya while you learn.

 

I was tired a lot doing reefer with the frequent flip-flopping of when you sleep.

 

Reefer you pick up at meat packing plants and the wait time for your loaded trailer could be over a day.I have seen drivers wait up to three days for their load at Tyson.You also deliver to tight grocery warehouses late at night.No fun trying to back into a dock say 1 am.Many customers are strictly by appt only so you better not be late could be a day or longer before you get unloaded.Alot of customers have lumpers.Reefer might pay a couple cents more per mile but is it really worth it,thats up to the driver.Me I would rather haul dry van.

 

It's still only 2 cents difference?!?! Not worth it.

I drove for Roehl, twice (reefer the first time and dry van the second). Dry van is definitely much better. However, I think I appreciate everything else about trucking better now because I spent time doing refrigerated.

Refrigerated considerations:

• "People have to eat, so refrigerated will always be busy", don't believe this myth. If it ever gets slow, then switch to refrigerated, but why punish yourself for a "what if".
• Fueling is a double whammy. You have to pull ahead to fuel the reefer and that is when Sammy Sandwich guy in front of you decides to get his Subway and leave you inches away from topping up the reefer for 20-30 minutes.
• You are more likely to be greeted as a driver delivering much needed inventory whith a dry van than with a reefer where you are simply just another problem.
• More likely to be refused bathroom facilities at consignee driving reefer.
• Washouts!!!!! How bout all that extra washout pay you'll be getting? Oh wait... there isn't any, and you'll be doing plenty of it, either yourself or waiting at the Streakin Beacon.
• Lumpers. Can't forget about them. You'll be waiting in a lot of lumper lines doing refrigerated. That's just to get the quote. Then you have to go back to the truck to write the check and get approval.
• Twice as many engines to give you problems. (One in the truck and one in the trailer)
• Noisy reefer units still exist, they're not all whisper quiet.
• Level of appreciation for everything else in the world of tucking increases 10 fold after a stint of doing refrigerated. So yeah, you should give it a try.

 

I honestly have to say try it all find what you like. I hauled dry and reefer and I like reefer better.

 

Whether reefer or van it pretty much evens out.There is more babysitting reefer, less miles, alot of washouts especially if you have a meat load.