Is Reefer the best way to start in this recession?

Miles? No idea.

Dirty looks and projected-evil-thoughts from the truckers you pull in next to at 3:00 am? Definitely plenty of those.

 

Refers are really that loud huh? lol

 

The good thing about reefers if no matter what the economy is doing (good or bad) people still have to eat.....

 

if there is recession--or depression--a reefer is always good--a great way to start the day--or end the night
oh crap--you guys are talking about refridgeration arnt you---ok disregard post

 

Driver you are probably going to get a lot of different answers on this one. However the fact is reefer generally pays more per mile. Flatbed does also. With a reefer you can haul refrigerated goods and dry goods. You cannot do this in a dry van. I think one of the better aspects of reefer is you don't haul furniture. The dry van trailers are set up so that you can build teirs with plywood for stacking furniture and such. With that being said there is way less physical work involved with reefer. They do make noise so if you cannot handle it get some earplugs. It is kind of like sleeping with a lawnmower! Some of the new trucks are built and insulated pretty well which helps cut down the noise. If you are team driving it really doesn't matter, the truck will be running anyway. My wife and I drove for Central and had a pretty good experience there. There pay is above average and their equipment is all new. They really crack down on their dispatchers so that will definitely help you in succeeding. I see you live in Missouri. Central has a lot of customers in Missouri. So home time won't be an issue. As far as school and training goes you will have to go to Salt Lake. They either pay your bus ticket or you can put the money towards a plane ticket. Their facility out there is quite impressive!

 

I've pulled vans, skateboards, tankers and now pull a reefer.
Out of all the different gigs, I think I like the reefer best.
Vans had lots of physical work and it wasn't uncommon to load/unload and not get paid for that part. It was just generally accepted. Even if I did, I was all sweaty and dirty when I started out and may have had to drive 500 miles before stopping for the night and getting a shower.
Flatbed was nice, but it's a younger man's job. Those tarps are heavy, you're out in the weather a lot more and inevitably the number of times a tarp comes loose or a load needs attention is inversely proportional to the weather.
I liked tankers. I did food grade, mostly milk from dairies to processing plants.
Again it was outdoors more and I had to climb all over the trailer to load, check, etc. Lot's of fun in the rain. (Did that in the Tillamook area...lots of rain!)
I pull a refer now. Not nearly as physically challenging. The noise doesn't bother me. I hardly notice it. From inside the sleeper it sounds about the same level as when the APU is running.
Keep in mind I am over 60 now, so when I say it's not physically as hard, age can make a difference.
As someone else said, people will always need food. I don't know if you'll get more miles, but mine are pretty steady. Consumer goods hauled in vans will be subject more to the economy.
Just my two cents worth.

 

I pulled reefer for 5 years before I went in the military. Depending on who you work for the pay can be up or down. My first year on the road I made over 36K. That was back in 98 for a single man with no bills that was good. With the way things are now I would go reefer....everyone has to eat. The only bad thing I can ever say is get used to doing the wait game with some of the shippers/recievers and a lot of the dirty coast. Once you get used to it, it's not that bad.