Flatbed versus Refer

I was 215 and 5'7" when I started flatbedding. Pretty quickly lost to 190. Now, even though still flatbedding creeping back up to around 200 (3 years later).

 

I do reefer. I don't do mega stuff. I do specific organic truckload loads for the small guys. Sure some times I get jammed at a cooler or farm. But it's high dollar 3.25 to 4.00 is the norm. I have done some 400 mile I need it now for 10 bucks a mile. I don't even notice the reefer running. I love it.

Be Safe Out There

Captain Dave

 

I pick flatbed. A spread axle if you can. The biggest reason is they load you, you strap and chain and toss the covers on and go. Couple hours at most.

Reefers are real time sinks. You can find yourself sitting for days. Im not kidding. Americold in Salinas had us sit for 2 days, 2 nights and 5 hours before finally loading us, a team. Sit. no money. Burn fuel. I wont be back.

I like reefer. But there are times you take such a hit waiting. Meat loads are routine in waiting, particularly if the customer only want steaks, center cut packed into 550 boxes on the floor. That will take about 3 days before it's ready in say fort collins. So you rest up and GO when it's time. I hope you are a team then because they are waiting on it. That load went into sacremento I think a food distribution and they were already hollaring on CB at me where is my meat load? That's my cue. Passed 400 trucks (To paraphrase) and sailed right into a dock. Got some trash talking that time from the radio. No worries.

 

With reefer, your experience will depend on who you're pulling for. I suspect many of the "training reefer outfits" might be less than great. Flatbed is pretty much going to be the same, no matter.

I've done my time. Van, flat, tank, then started reefer about 5 years ago and ain't never going back to anything else. But if I were younger and needed consistent home time, I'd do flatbed. But like I said, with reefer, it mostly depends on where you're working wether you'll be happy or miserable or somewhere in between. My reefer world is NOTHING like most all of the other stuff and rants you'll read here. But the "better" options require some solid OTR experience.

If you work somewhere that does fresh meat loads, make sure you work somewhere that has a 1.5:1 ratio [or better] of trailers to trucks. You need to be doing 100% drop and hook at meat plants if meat is a big part of their business.

 

I'm fatter then hell and I loved flat bed (for what it's worth)

 

You working again yet?

 

Not yet. Got some leads I need to follow up on tho

 

One word: Capstone. They are reason enough to never pull a refer again by themselves. Nothing more needs said.