Dry van vs reefer

As mentioned, I pull reefers. However, on this load, I am pulling a dry van. It's a load to get me to where I want to go to take a couple days off. Anyway, I park tonight and lo and behold 5 minutes later a reefer parks beside me. So, instead of listening to my reefer all night, I get to listen to the one beside me. Doesn't bother me or anything, I just thought it funny. I guess I just can't get away from a running reefer at night.
BTW, pulling a dry van is making me feel dirty, like I've crossed over to the dark side or something. Lol. I'm grateful they found this load to get me where I want to go, but I'll be glad to get back to pulling a reefer after this.

 

The other side of the tracks always feels like the dark side.

Discombobulated is how I always felt when I had a refer load, so I simply refuse to do them now.

 

I don’t care who the customer is. You want it broke down and on pallets differently than it was loaded? Do it on your own time. Not mine. Or order it from your supplier palletized to your liking. Paying to get unloaded? In 22 years I’ve never. And never will. It’s the receivers freight, not mine. Get it off my trailer. I haul dry van as an owner op for a dedicated company. 60% drop and hook. 40% live unload/load. Have never been asked to pay for unload. I’ll stick to that, thx.

 

Reefer is better Long haul

 

Pulled reef awhile back, just got my own and am getting back into it. Never paid lumper up front before, but right now I'm on my first produce run with my new (to me) trailer, and the Google reviews of the receiver are saying pay lumper up front and then wait all day.

One thing makes it easier is a video game you can rock out on for hours or step away at any moment without losing your ###. Right now for me it's Wow Classic or Civilization V. Gotta love the Gatling Gun with the range upgrade.

 

D

Do you collect detention on produce loads or add it into the rate? Iv heard guys lately saying produce doesn't pay detention you just set the rate to make up for load times

 

Before when I did reefer it was for a company, and they paid detention regardless if they collected any. I just started reefer as owner op, only pulled one produce load so far which I just finished a couple hours ago. Sat for 6 hours at shipper, drove for 10 hours, sat for 6 hours at receiver, and it was still halfway decent even if I get no detention.

Some guys might not agree. Some guys might be willing to give up x amount of pay in order to sit at a truck stop for 11 hours instead of sitting at a shipper for 6 hours, driving 30 minutes on personal conveyance, and then sitting at a rest area for 5.5 hours, then being ready to drive 10 hours. I've got few obligations outside trucking so for me the decision is to take the money.

 

Ive ran reefer for around 6 years and in my opinion cold storage places tend to be a little nicer than dry freight places. Also I've seen slot of replies saying reefer loads are usually longer than dry loads and in my experience it all depends on the company. The company im with now does a ####load of tyson and they average to MABY 400 miles. I ALWAYS pick up around 2300 then we roll and delivery is around 0800-1000. There ain't no messing around with these loads. You gotta be at the shipper an hour early and hope you get outta there ASAP then you got time to stop for fuel and thats it. The past two weeks my runs have been 250 loaded miles then we deadhead 100 miles go on break then pickup late that night. Ask the recruiter what's the average length of the loads they haul and if its 250-400 miles make #### sure they have a weekly guaranteed pay system. Aint going to make any money driving less than 300 miles a day.
One drawback to hauling reefer loads is getting the trailer washed out. It can be tough finding a washout place depending where you are so you'll end up going out of your way to get a washout and you dont get paid for those miles. Or you'll find a spot for a washout and its sketchy AF and their hours are a major inconvenience.
Then theres the noise from the reefer. Some units run quieter than others and some are really annoying! Especially if the unit is on stop start. I'm used to it so it doesn't bother me at all now but if your new it could be a problem. It also might piss off the person your parked next to and they'll shut it off so when you wake up and check on it your frozen load might be on its way to becoming un frozen. Ive had it happen once, I was up when the ####### shut it off. Good thing he was gone by the time I got out the truck Theres good and bad when doing reefer but everything has that.
One major plus is you'll maby get to go to the Caves in Missouri. THATS AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE!!!