How do refers make good money?

Your comments are true but unfortunately they apply to most of OTR trucking not just reefer. I did doth dry van and reefer. As a dry van driver I did a lot of Walmart live unloads, not as much as I did with a reefer but a considerable amount nevertheless. As a reefer driver I had a lot of 500 or longer mile runs. I may be in the minority but I made good money pulling a reefer. I did a lot of drop and hooks too.

 

True the same problems still exist in all OTR, but those problems are much more pronounced in reefer.

There are many days and loads in dry van when you are away from the grocers and their lumper scam. That doesn't happen as often for reefer.

Used to work for a large frozen food company but not hauling reefer. Most of the frozen food went out on rail car. Trucking only covered some of the seasonal surge as it was cheaper to ship on rail. From the rail it was run on short runs by truck to packager and distributer, and then from distributer to grocer. Most of the miles were done by rail and most of the waiting done by truck driver. It is not that long reefer runs don't exist but more so than dry van, it is shorter overnight runs.

 

STAY away from over night runs. Shun any run less than 1500 miles. Find a teammate. Gun for 3000 mile cross country haul in just 70 hours by wed and be ready to be back across the USA by friday evening.

STop lumping. Stop running to the shipper only to sit for two days while they blast cool the produce. Go to a nearby truckstop and wait. When they are good and ready they can send you a sat message.

Do not do any LTL if you can help it. Your goal is miles, not schlepping across Jersey stopping here to throw a pallet down and driving three miles to the next for another pallet. etc That is such a incredibly consuming time sink. They can hop into any pick up truck, drive to florida and get that pallet themselves.

Get a laptop computer with a very good GPS on it. Update that too. Topographical maps too. And ask for a physical address of the shipper/reciever and let dispatch know you can find anyone without holding hands for directions or getting lost with your newfound GPS freedom.

Did I say find a team mate? Or even better get your spouse to go with you as I did.

Run for companies like McKesson of Memphis. Million dollar medical loads you will never ever see or touch. Drop, hook or wait a half hour for forklift to remove your medicines and reload you with cardboard going straight back to Memphis. Gravy gravy gravy and gravy. The problem is you are in a unmarked rig as prey trying to not attract any notice from the hordes in Memphis willing to kill you if they ever knew what is in there ... And they know #### well what McKesson does as well.

 

I should clarify - I'm speaking of a friends experience within the LS system, of which there are very few reefers.

So far, he's found his best paying freight , in order

• Pharmaceutical (that doesn't require team)
• Chemicals
• Flowers

Dry van suited pays the worst for him, and food products are a PITA.

Cooling a reefer to -25 on a hot day, waiting for that to happen, and dealing with cold stores, has crossed those loads off his list.

And F*** produce.

 

I'm glad you brought that up. I have a thing for avocados.

 

The key to Reefers is length of haul. I run mostly coast to coast. Reefers tend to have longer hauls than dry freight. The longer the load, the less sitting in a dock.

I am on am LTL run right now. Left NY this morning, 5 Stops in Phoenix on Monday, 4 in LA on Tuesday.

My company does haul anythimg that fits in the trailer so that helps, Lumber, Gypsum straight from the mines, paving stones, bathroom fixtures etc. Always freight to be brokered if they don't have a load for me.

Short haul Reefer sucks.

 

I once picked up a frozen broccoli load in Laredo when I was at Stevens and was told to bring it to the yard in Dallas it was going on a train.

 

IMHO--the key here is not WHAT you haul--but WHO you haul it for--since this is a forum thread for new drivers...I cannot state strongly enough--it is ALWAYS going to be who you work for--NOT what you are doing--there are good, bad and in between companies out there...that do all types of different work...and not all work is for everybody...and while the OP may be struggling now...again IMHO--the only way any rookie is going to get on w/a better outfit is to not be a rookie---sux I know but that's the way it works--except in VERY rare occasions...it is much more important to keep your nose clean...your record spotless and show some longevity on a job....because ALL the companies that truly take care of the drivers can pick and choose who they hire....so to the OP....as a newby be very careful now about the choices you make...you may just find putting up with whatever you have now for another year or so...as painful as it may be--will pay off in the long run

 

What company are you currently driving for?

God bless every American and their families! God bless the U.S.A.!

 

What LTL company are you currently driving for?

God bless every American and their families! God bless the U.S.A.!