the reefer biz

interesting thread y'all (did HVAC for 15 years) any more comments out there?

 

A couple items not mentioned that I have experienced with 4+ yrs pullin reefers:

1. Never, EVER washout a trailer in Hot, low humidity areas of the West and then try to pre-cool the trailer before getting to the shipper (picking up a frozen load). With me, it only got to 25 degrees inside trailer. What I had to do to get it to -10 degrees was to step down the temp 1 degree at a time. It took quite a while but after 4 hrs, it was down to 0 degrees. The moisture inside the trailer from the washout was making the reefer go into "defrost" mode every 10 mins or so which raises the temp inside trailer bout 6 degrees after the "defrost" cycle was done.

After that episode, if trailer wasn't all to dirty, I just swept the trailer out. Never had a shipper reject one that I swept out rather than get a washout. And it depends on shipper also. Some will require a copy or original reciept for a washout for prove. Always ask if reciept is required.

2. Some shippers (Coors, for one) will not accept trailers that are damaged (whether a live load or dropped empty). Make sure you have a trailer with no damage cause they will tell you to leave and get it fixed then return.

3. Some produce shippers in CA and AZ will load your trailer with "Hot" product and they assume the reefer will get the product to the required temperature. WRONG !!!!!!!! A reefers job is to MAINTAIN temperature, not to get it to that required temperature. Never, EVER accept "Hot" product. Tell shipper to send their product to a "Chiller" to get it to their required temperature. If they won't or don't have a "Chiller", leave and find another place for a load.

 

I'm planning on training with Central Reefer Services in 6 wks, but from what I'm reading, it don't sound like much fun (and as a noob I sure don't need any additional headaches, lol).

So anyone working for Central have some GOOD news about my future employment ;?D

 

Don't let all these negative comments scare you away from reefers. If you get yourself trained in pulling reefers, then you have an extra skill that makes you more desirable (to a potential employer).
Good luck!

 

Thanks for the advice Wallbanger - hadn't thought of looking at it that way ;?D

I suppose I'm just allowing all that negativity to create a mental "bogeyman" that's got me feeling overly anxious. That said I'm still excited about going to school and getting started with Central (plus I think I'm gonna like driving a Volvo 670 ;?D).

 

I'v owned a half dozen truck and hauled only reefers with them. HAvn't touched a refer since I got rid of the trucks. There is a reason for that.
As an owner op the refer biz is good, it can pay very good. as a driver it's the pits since you get all the downside and none of the extra money.

Watch VERY VERY carfully for floor problems. one small crack can become a huge hole in one loading if the forlift driver keeps runing over it. I had a crack that got a little wet and soft while loading. HAuled it to walmart and told him to stay off that spot. Every time he went in he ran it over. On the last pallet he broke through the floor and crashed the forklift half way to the ground. Then they tried to charge ME for removing there forklift. Needless to say it was the last load I ever took to walmart. I'm probably still on there banned list.

never haul a load of hides in your refers. You won't get the smell out for MONTHS! I'm not exagerating and you will get refused for most any loads untill it smells good.

Never trust a refer trailer without a chute in it. they will freeze in the front and melt in the rear

I hauled slush packed greens from GA to detroit 9 month of the year. hand unload floor to ceiling and every box would dump ice water on you when you pulled it down. Plus in witer the doors would freeze closed and while unloading you'd get 6 inches of ice to hammer out before you could get the doors closed.

If you mess up a load of strawberries I hope you have a fat checkbook. I did it once and wouldn't haul them again. just too costly of an endevor

 

oh ya, don't haul butter unless you have a perfect refer unit, door seals etc. I think you can figure this one out

 

this is wild bird,
a retired garbage haller. I pulled a reefer for about 16 years.
bone up on all vegies and fruits the best halling temp. to run you reefers then find out the cost and what you can expect to make hauling the stuff just remember it is a very perishable product. get very dependable drivers!

 

I worked in the frozen department at Wal Mart last year. When a truck came in...I had to stick it with a thermometer and check the temps...if it wasnt within our range...we refused it. On time...the termometer (analog) wasnt moving...we endedup finding another one and it read a correct temp...but that held us up for a while. When I first started unloading in Jan of 06...they had units which had no seperating wall in the middle. Then Werner (our line when it came to cold stuff) started using trailers with a seperating wall that went down most of the length of the truck. This gave them more zones in the trailer to work with for better cooling. I dont know if they just had one unit or if they had another one or two on top because they had additional vents coming from the roof of the trailer blowing cold air in.

 

The're called multi-temp units. The walls/dividers you speak of, are insulated bulkheads. The air coming thru the ceiling is a false ceiling with air ducts built above drop. Some multi-temp designs actually have split- wall or ceiling mounted evaporators that slave off the nose mount or underslung unit. Great Dane Trailers & Thermo-King are notorious for multi-temp design units.