"Protect from freezing" dry van experiences.

Discussion in 'Ask An Owner Operator' started by TallJoe, Feb 17, 2019.

  1. The Biggest Dawg

    The Biggest Dawg Light Load Member

    177
    98
    Oct 16, 2019
    [Location Not Found]
    0
    How the hell is the driver supposed to protect a load from freezing in a dry van when it is freezing cold outside? that makes no sense, it sounds like they need to request a reefer trailer.
     
  2. Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.

  3. shatteredsquare

    shatteredsquare Road Train Member

    1,352
    1,764
    May 23, 2014
    middle dirt
    0
    You gotta fight ice with ice
     
  4. x1Heavy

    x1Heavy Road Train Member

    34,017
    42,098
    Mar 5, 2016
    White County, Arkansas
    0
    They have some van trailers called insulated service and you can get away with running through a cold snap temporarily with them. Thats one of the reasons I preferred reefers, you can do dry van work, insulated or heating and cooling if need be.
     
    SoDel and The Biggest Dawg Thank this.
  5. TallJoe

    TallJoe Road Train Member

    7,490
    16,266
    Apr 12, 2016
    Chicagoland
    0
    "Protect from freezing" might have different facets. I am afraid the main one is the sentence on the BOL itself which can be paraphrased as "if it freezes, you'll pay for it" but a carrier may unload it to a warm dock (there could be a seal issue), cover it with blankets, set up fire underneath the trailer and call a fire squad to watch it for them.
     
  6. Studebaker Hawk

    Studebaker Hawk Road Train Member

    2,883
    9,109
    Oct 18, 2010
    NW Indiana
    0
    Back in the day, this was in 1980, we used to give several spotted trailers to a company in Pennsylvania that made steel file cabinets, blanket wrapped, no cartons. At the end of the year they would load them, that gets them out of their inventory for tax purposes, they didn't care when we picked them up, or delivered them.
    I picked one up on Dec 29th, been loaded for about a week. Headed for San Jose, CA. Trip started at about 10 deg above zero, 40 below across Wyoming. San Jose it is 60 degrees on Jan 3. Opened the trailer, it was steaming, like you just opened up your freezer to get some ice cream. First guy slides the pad off the first file cabinet, his hand froze to the side of it. Just like the kid in A Christmas Story who puts his tongue on the pole in the schoolyard.
    A little warm water gets him free. Everyone had to put on gloves. It never got above 10 degrees in the trailer until it was almost empty. Basic HHG van trailer.
     
    Midwest Trucker and PE_T Thank this.
  7. starmac

    starmac Road Train Member

    6,642
    12,524
    Apr 11, 2019
    Fairbanks Ak
    0
    We deal with much colder temps, and some of the companies have actual heated dry vans, but we still use the propane powered heaters we put in the back of the trailer too.
     
    Chinatown Thanks this.
  8. LtlAnonymous

    LtlAnonymous Road Train Member

    6,020
    20,774
    Dec 23, 2016
    0
    At my second LTL job, I had a "protect from freezing" load I took to one of our Minnesota yards where it was around zero degrees.

    Being diligent, I called my dispatch and asked what to do. The dispatcher goes, "Oh geez...I can't believe they did that. What the hell were they thinking? Okay. I'm gonna need you to stay there, and rub the sides of the trailer to keep it warm."

    Still one of the funniest ####ing things I've ever been told.
     
  9. PE_T

    PE_T Road Train Member

    Right now I have a “protect from freezing” load. I haven’t turned on the reefer yet. Currently the temp is at 53, but the sensor is high inside the trailer. I’ll see how low it gets this morning. Temps are 3 F right now and will be 1 F consistently tonight.

    A couple weeks ago I hauled another “protect from freezing” load, and I did not have to turn on the reefer at all. This was a 5-day load. :)
     
    Midwest Trucker Thanks this.
  10. Studebaker Hawk

    Studebaker Hawk Road Train Member

    2,883
    9,109
    Oct 18, 2010
    NW Indiana
    0
    Now that is a dispatcher I would take out after work and buy him a beer....
     
  11. LtlAnonymous

    LtlAnonymous Road Train Member

    6,020
    20,774
    Dec 23, 2016
    0
    He was a funny, sarcastic mother####er.
     
    x1Heavy and Studebaker Hawk Thank this.
  • Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.