First day on refrigerator

Depends on who you're driving for. I drive 6 moths a year (in the fall/winter) for a reefer carrier (meat hauler), and in 3 years, with our customer base, I've never been in a position to pulp any product. Easiest work I've ever done. But if you work for a carrier who hauls out of other shippers and produce and the like, the life may completely different.

Many drivers assume all reefer hauling is like their reefer hauling, and often this is not the case. It all depends on who you work for and what you typically haul.

 

If it spoils, the company is going to blame you either way,,,,,

 

Why on earth would you go from van to reefer? Just more headaches for the same money.

 

As for the temperature it depends what you are loading and where you are loading it at. Frozen meat is not something you need to be checking pallets. Fresh berries or any kind of leafy greens? Check those temps! Count the product on the dock. Don't be afraid to tell them to slow down a bit. Ask them how much each pallet weighs roughly, and know how to properly load your trailer and make sure they do it the way you want it loaded.

Or you could just take the shippers word for it and sign for a load of produce that might be no good before it even leaves. Then you have a nightmare to deal with on the other end. Maybe even an insurance claim.

 

Is that guy still at the scale with the the chicken? How bout that driver and the "shifted" watermelon load?

 

For the joy of 3am live unloads with lumpers that take 6-7 hours to unload and then to head off to get a trailer wash out! More free time to give away for nothing!!
yay!

 

Hahahaa!

That is why I am soooo glad I am salaried!

Mikeeee

 

it's funny because you know it's true

reefer drivers should be paid a whole lot more.
My time as a reefer driver included living on energy drinks and sleeping pills to manipulate my sleep schedule to meet my ever flip flopping appointment times.
There's great joy in waking up at 4am to deliver nearby at 5am to then get your next dispatch picking up at 10pm to where you then have to drive through the night to meet an appointment in the morning.
It's either that or sit.
Then repeat but flip the times around.

Some of the reefer customers have lost their minds.
Arrive on time.. heck 15-20 minutes early but there's a huge line of trucks at the guard shack? Well even though that''s not your fault you're late and can get rejected.
Oh so you're 30 minutes early? We can fine your carrier for being too early.
Yup been there done that.

Paid by the mile and extra stops? LOL okay!
I was never paid for going out of route to get trailer wash outs and paid for that extra stop!

It's all a BS rip off scam.. most truck driving jobs are.
Even being paid by the mile is a scam.
If you sit in traffic ALL day you can make no money even though you were working!

Word of advice... avoid reefer.
Unless they pay far far more than dry van (which isn't gonna happen)

Just after a few weeks of OTR Reefer and this becomes you..