Any advice for a new reefer driver

I understand what you are saying. The receiver gave a similar explanation as to why they have the policy. I worked in Las Vegas as a local truck driver for about 6 months, and we always kept the reefer running while at the dock. The catch is that the dock gate needs to be closed for the reefer to hold the temp properly (in places where the dock is room temperature). The trailer used by the local company were not local trailers at all. These were OTR two-door trailers that they took out to CA for produce loads.

I had some 6 stops per day delivering at the casinos in Vegas. It was very important we kept the reefer on because we never knew if the next stop would randomly check the trailer temp. We needed to unload the pallets for the stop quickly, and then close the dock gate so the reefer could continue holding the temp. Some reefer trailers did a better job than others at keeping +34, but most did under +38. What also helps a lot is if the dock has padding on the ouside of the dock to keep the air from escaping from the sides and top of the trailer.

Two other factors that help the reefer maintain the temp at the dock are the age of the reefer and if the dock is temperature controlled. My reefer is brand new (2018), and it cools like a champ. After getting loaded on my current load (+36) two days ago, I sat at the dock for 30 minutes while I was resolving some paperwork issues. When I pulled forward from the dock, my reefer was right on the temp. Now, I will admit that most old reefers will not be able to hold a +0 temp at the dock, especially during summer. I remember this past summer I picked up a frozen load from Fort Worth and a guy with an older reefer couldn’t get his trailer to precool to +0. Hahaha.

 

Chilled loads are typically not a problem to maintain temp, doors open or closed, but frozen 0F and colder is when the dynamics change considerably when the doors can't be kept closed.

 

When you get home, place your lawn mower next to your bedroom window running. That way you can get some sleep.

 

Hahaha. What’s strange is that the reefer running never bothered me at all, and it still doesn’t. The same goes for the APU. I think it all started in training when I needed to sleep while the trainer was driving. The first day, it wasn’t so easy to fall asleep. In a few days, I was able to sleep right away. If one can sleep in a moving truck and with a loud engine noise, the reefer and APU ain’t nothing.

What I find hard to sleep to is an idling truck with an air popping sound every 20 seconds! It took me 1 or 2 years to notice these air popping trucks were a thing. I wish I never noticed them because now I will move to a different parking space. Darn old trucks!