An Ideal used Reefer trailer

Reefer doesn't pay well considering all the waiting time,heavy loads and lumper fees.
If you want to run a reefer trailer and run both dry van and occasional reefer freight,I might see it being a good investment.
Reefer freight sucks.

 

In agree with Steel Dragon, don't do it. I pulled a reefer for a company job, and I was paid by the hour. I saw what these O/O's went through, and would never do that. Go tanker if you're burned out on flatbed, but stay away from reefer.

 

Anyone thinking about reefer, please stay away. If you already have a reefer, get rid of it and go dry van or flatbed.

 

If I did reefer:

- if heavy load, demand more $$
- lumper fee? make sure paid by broker/shipper
- waiting time? make sure detention pay on RC @ $100/hr

Else, Im good.

ELD will shake the weak ones out of the game

 

Reefer is an electrical part.
Pretty much a refrigerator or air conditioner.
Can fail at any time.
Just like a truck.
It's a crap shoot.

 

15000 hours is about 650 days.
Considering it runs mainly 6 months a year,thats approximately 4 years of service.
I've had companies replace the whole unit to save a loaded trailer,and this trailer was less than 5 years old.

 

Yeah, sorry, 'bout that, Chief, reefer just has a bad taste in just about anybody's mouth that's done it. The only way I knew of people making any money in reefer, were the ones that hauled double loads in the box, and ran 'round the clock. I couldn't imagine doing it by the book these days. Kiss of death. Used to be, reefers weren't these complicated units, and anyone that could turn a wrench, could get a reefer going ( the biggest problem years ago, was that #### 5 foot V belt, and don't suck 'er dry) ) Today, these things cost a fortune to repair, and with waiting time, and load refusal's, there's just isn't a lot of money in it. I'm not saying some don't make money, it's just, these people have had these accounts for years, kind of like dump truck, and new guys will get all the crap the smarter ones refuse. Truth be known, there was a time when I wouldn't look at a flatbed, but today, it's about your best deal in trucking, mostly, because you call the shots, not t'other way 'round. Good luck.

 

Some trailers are very well designed and keep very cool some trailers are designed for chilled produce others for frozen with fridge motors thermo king seems to rule, with most frozen produce your often required to pre - chill your reefer down to about 5 f you'll need a very well insulated reefer to do that, with chilled its not so hard. Usually you'll run the temp at around 34 - 40 f. depending on whether its cheese, milk, meat or fruit.