Reefer verses Van

I have no clue. But think about this. A van can only pull dry frieght. A reefer can pull both dry and refrigerated/heated frieght. So when one market is slow, jump to the other and vice versa.

 

Yes, there is a lot of reefer freight in the Midwest, Southeast, Westcoast, northeast just about all 48 states. Some areas of the country are better then others. In Iowa,Nebraska, some parts of Texas you have a lot of beef/pork process plants. (Cargill,JBS, and others). Georgia and Arkansas (Tyson ) you have chicken processing plants. Central California you have produce processing plants and loading of produce straight from the fields right on your truck. I run reefers and I'm all over the country. I also pickup and deliver to a lot of cold storage facilities too. (US Cold Storage and Americold)

 

Actually, a lot of the better paying van freight can't or won't be loaded in a reefer. back when I pulled a reefer I ran into this all the time.

 

One thing about reefer that I experience on a daily basis and is I don't sit.wait on a load. I usually have 1-2 loads waiting on me. If you are with a good company or broker they will keep you running.

Don't let anyone on this message board discourage you reefer does pay good money it all depends on the freight lane. Find a few good freight lanes and you'll make some money.

 

R

Really? I wouldn't have guessed. I'd think anybody would like to see a reefer show up since the inside can be cleaned spotless compared to a van. Especially wood floors like my company.

 

That isn't true! Things have changed a lot. It depends on the rate your charging the customer and the freight lane. Currently van freight rates tends to run much cheaper then reefer frieght. Remember January & February are dry van slowest months of the year. Reefer run all year round.

 

You will earn more revenue with a reefer. Key is to cut down the amount of work you put in. But a reefer will expand your options on freight.

 

From my monthly experience stay way from Walmart & Mclane, Distribution centers they will have you waiting from 4-8 hours to unload you and sign your paperwork.

 

reefer is seasonal, if I lived in the Midwest I would go back to van. with reefer when you come home loaded its scary to leave a truck and go sleep in a house. and more headache especialy with produce when receiver doesn't like that cherries have wrinkled or letuse has dark spots or something. and if you have health problems think about delivering appoitments at 2 am or sleeping next to it running. and for example when its produce season in florida sure you will get a good rate but you will get raped going in to florida or golden state