Pros and Cons on running refer

Nice going there ShortBusKid. My guess, your not off the short bus at all.
Interesting post about the lobsters and all.

 

Well now that you have laid out the rest I think shortbus is spot on--also--I think(u tell me) smaller lobster boats do not deal with ice--but Don't the larger commercial fishing boats run ice making on board still?
I know years ago when I loaded outta Glouster--many did--maybe work out a deal w/whoever is in at time--since I am guessing the way you ice is once and done and do not have to reapply?

 

OlHand- Thanks-The small boats 38 to 42 sell every day and are selected out in tanks. After they sit for two days and clean themselves (S--T) is the best time to ship. The only boats in Glou. now that make ice is the swordfish boats that I know. The few draggers that are left in the port pull up to Cape Pond Ice and load what they need. When I load truck with bugs I apply ice only once and work out of one door. I apply ice one time and monitor reefer temp all the time. With ice box stays at 39 to 42 D's 'till I tie up in Fla. In 20 years of having these accounts great success. Mike-Z

 

OlHand-You have been around awhile. Did you pull out of The Famous Gortons? It seems every trucker in the U S hauled frozen fish from there. I used to see more trucks waiting to load there than any truck stop I have ever been to. Let me know. Thanks Mike

 

I start my training with Roehl in the reefer fleet next month and hope all goes well....

 

Funny, I agree with your assessment of T/K vs Carrier (although the engineer that called them Whisper must be hard of hearing). I have found a few of our units have a noisy unloader valve that can interupt your sleep, but overall, find I wake more with the unit on Cycle Sentry, and not for the reasons you would think. After you get atuned to hauling a reefer, you are more likely to wake if it doesn't start. I've rolled over more than once thinking it hasn't been running for a while and will wait a few to see if it fires up. Usually does as the maintenance performed by our company is pretty good. These are far more complicated units than what they were in the past. The implementation of computer controls and multizone units has definately increased our workload. Big think to watch out for is many are also satellite controlled and can be activated remotely. This can be a concern if you are tinkering in the compartment and this happens. There is an audible alarm that does sound before that will happen.

Done the emergency start myself. The battery is coveniently located and most truck batteries are well within reach of most modest cables. This is only a small battery on the reefer, so it must be running else you will have to motors that are not running instead of one. Of course, you can boost the reefer as well. Just ensure you remove the cables as soon as they've started as the two alternators will feed back against each other and one will likely burn out. Had this issue on some straight trucks primarily. This was remedied by adding a dedicated battery that was separate from the mains.

Reefer fuel is also road tax exempt and as such, is cheaper. This is a dyed fuel that will show if you try and use it as a road fuel. There is little tolerance for drivers or companies in using a dyed fuel for a road fuel and they call it tax evasion. As I mentioned earlier, reefers have come a long way. They are very reliable, but like many automotive type products anymore, you have to have a computer to talk to it when it decides to misbehave. The big units have a few base components that everything is built around. A genset, compressor, and the engine with the various control systems to the main evaporator and any remotes. There are new units from Carrier called Vector which utilizes an all electric refrigeration system. The company says it is much quieter than conventional systems (and I did run some for a couple years, they were quieter but not entirely sold on reliability). The biggest downside was a higher voltage which was well within the lethal limits. Most of these were operating with a 5 kilowatt generator at 500 volts, so this could be fatal. The number of sensors used in these units and the conventional units is simply amazing, and they do their job in protecting the reefer well, but will shut down the unit for some given faults. That is why it is always in your best interest to continually monitoring the reefer and the settings. Listening to the sound of it will be a good indication of proper running, and this will come with practice.

The availability of a truck wash is directly proportional to the need for a wash out. If you need a serious wash out, good luck.

 

How often do you wash your entire truck?

 

Most of what we're talking about is a washout of the inside of your trailer. Most shippers, if you're talking food, will specify a clean, odour free trailer. Reason for this is the same you would consider in your fridge at home, and that strong odours can transfer to other foods, thus changing their characteristics. Just for a wild example, consider you were hauling a pressed garlic product, and some did spill in the trailer. You delivered this load, and made a run to your backhaul. You don't normaily run your reefer till your close (simple matter of economics) so it's been at ambiant temperature for a day or so perhaps. The smell of garlic is very strong and your backhaul happens to be a dairy product. This smell will transfer to the dairy, and will effectively contaminate the entire shipment, thus rendering it unuseable. A washout would have been a prudent measure.

On the other hand, if you had simply had a load of paper, skidded and wrapped, a washout is likely not necessary, but a sweep of the trailer may be needed.

The short answer is there is no short answer. It depends on what's been in the trailer and what you're picking up afterwards. A washout will run between $25 - $50 so you don't want to be doing it too often, just as needed.

Now, washing the entire truck. That is a harder question to answer and really depends on the company, their policies, and equipment availability. Image is important, and a clean truck that looks good brings repeat business. If a truck is showing up to a shippers looking beat up, mud, bugs and grease all over, then they'll seriously think twice about even releasing the load to you. Between the truck looking in good order, and the driver putting forward a professional image, is the difference between looking for repeat business or continually finding new customers. The reason I mentioned equipment is some do offer a washbay and pressure washers so keeping the truck clean on the outside can be relatively easy. If you're out for a week or 2 at a time, it won't hurt to wash it when you return to your yard. Outside companies do offer this service, but it will cost. If it needs it badly, then you may have to go that route.

The outside of the trailer is a lot of footage to cover. The company I work for has a unit that you simply walk down the side of the trailer and it will wash as you go. Works pretty decently.

The season you're running in will also dictate how often you need to wash and where you run. Winter running in the north will mean salt and sand on the roads galore so washing will be more frequent to keep the equipment looking good.

It is hard to give a firm answer, so giving the different scenarios seemed the best course of action.

 

I wash out trailer after every load I make shipping lobsters. I use baking soda and water and it has no smell; but clean. Juice from bleeder lobs can be really bad. When on spy missions, at different shellfish plants, I can smell simple green in some trailers. If I were a customer; IMO I would say the driver is trying to cover up something. Most important fact when shipping you own prod is keep cust happy. Mike-Z

 

Used to load at Gortons years ago--and run to HBG PA processing plant--when i still ran into Chelsea--actually I think the plant in Hbg--was Gortons also--but haven't since sometime in the mid 90s--bout the time the NYC/Boston rates evend back out and just didnt make sense to go to Chelsea for the same as the point---but I do miss the little lobster shack around the corner from the market in Chelsea!--LOL