need advice from o/o reefer operators

Sure, but first, you tell us. How long is a stick?

Your question is waaay too general for any specifics. It depends on how you intend to run your truck. Where do you live and what area do you intend to run? There's a difference in running your own authority and leasing to a company.

Let's assume though that you lease the truck to the company you now drive for pulling their trailer and they still run you 3000 miles a week. They will probably keep 25%+ and provide some things for you which is another variable.
IF, and that can be a BIG if, they can keep you at two dollars a mile on 3000 miles then gross $6000. Just easy math. If your costs per mile is 1.60, pretty realistic, then that's $4800.
So a net of $1200. The cool part is that I included 40 cents a mile to pay yourself so the $1200 should be after all expenses. The not so cool part is that there are tons of things to eat up that $1200 and maybe some of your driver pay too.
That's a very general example and can swing widely in both directions depending on circumstances. My two dollar a mile figure is based on all loaded miles, not very likely to happen. Let's say you unload in Dallas and there's a company truck in the area that you don't even know about. They have a load out of Dallas that pays pretty well and another from Waco that's not so great. Guess who's going to Waco and get the not so great stuff.

 

And reefer S/R's ENJOY the heck outta treating you like dirt! And make you wait for hours on end and you have to fight for detention from brokers, ya da ya da ya da....it's coming up on their busy season so they'll promise the moon!! Id rather poke myself in the eye than ever see another reefer!

 

Weekly pay very close to what you will spend up front.And learn to like sitting at docks for 4 hour stretches.

 

Still not enough for all the waiting,if u like it now and get that without all the expenses, stay where you are would be my advice.

 

I'm not an owner op, but all I keep hearing is tankers, flats, and especially overdomensional/oversize is where the real money is at.

I make about the same as you as a company driver pulling reefers. I wouldnt want the added stress of maintenance, fuel prices, freight rates, fighting with brokers to get paid, chasing freight in and out of season, etc...basically take he stress you deal with now combined with everything your dispatcher deals with...

If it is really in your heart go for it, others here can offer you good advice. To me it just wouldnt be worth the extra stress.

 

You might make $2000-3000 a week or you might make zero. I've done well this year but the last month has been rough because of maintenance and repair expenses. Some planned and some surprise. I knew I was going to have to buy tires but I didn't know I was going to have a $2200 emission issue last month. Then another grand for a steering gear box two weeks later. Rates have been pretty solid this year for reefers but it is and always has been kind of a pain with certain loads. Last but not least, it seems to me that I'm seeing a bunch of the megas starting to get into the reefer business the last few years and all that can do is hurt rates.