Time to un-retire...

10 times in my career is about right. I didn't drive for dry van companies except for a short period of time.
Some reefer companies you'll hit the terminals more often, such as KLLM and FFE.
I avoid terminals anyway because I don't want to listen to the gossip and whining.

 

Anyway, this isn't about me, it's about new drivers just entering the trucking career.
If a new driver says, "I don't need the money, I'm just bored." Then I may recommend dry van at times.

 

We have a reefer division and they aren't making any more than we dry vans are, even though they are paid much more per mile, they sit for extended periods. We, for the most part, run hard. I made 3600 miles last week, 4000 miles a few months ago in a week. I am on a 34 right now after running out of time on my 70, like an hour or so left.

I'd recommend reefer if you don't want to run much and just want to sit for extended periods getting loaded and unloaded.

 

Every company is different. I ran coast-to-coast pulling reefers and any down time was compensated by hourly pay.
As for Prime Inc. reefer, @dave01282000 can give accurate information on that.

 

Here's an example of reefer drivers:
I hauled a load of produce from Florida Everglades to Ohio. Unloaded and called the dispatcher.
Dispatcher said, "I see you have hazmat endorsement." Yes, I do. So, even though I pulled reefers, he gave me a hazmat load of cans of spray paint to Los Angeles. You see, reefer drivers can haul dry van or refrigerated or hazmat loads.
Now, after delivering the paint, got a load of green beans from California to El Paso, Texas.
Unloaded that, and got a load of ceramic tile from El Paso to Jacksonville, FL and then a refrigerated load out of Jacksonville.
Lots of advantages for reefer drivers.

 

Yea but a lot of dry van places won't load reefer trailers. I ran into that when I had to go pick up a reefer trailer that a driver had abandoned and my company wanted me to just use it as a dry van until I made it back to a terminal. I think I was given 3 loads before the place was willing to load dry van freight into a reefer trailer because they get moldy and mildew easily. The corrugated floors are also a ##### to clean.

 

The workaround is, if you're dispatched to a dry van load, with a reefer trailer, run the heat before getting there and the trailer will show no signs of moisture. Answer; "I've been pulling dry van load the past few weeks."
I never had a dry van or hazmat load refused while pulling a reefer trailer.

 

I encourage you to go for it. I was twice retired and got in at 64 I'm going on 67. Had 6 months with cfi back in 2008 after I retired from my 1st career. ( I scratched a fairing twice back then and they have alot of drivers waiting so out you go. But that's my fault. But the honeymoon will be over as soon as you get out there. But it gets better for those who stick with it.

 

As for the reefer floors, you can clean them with a water hose or a leaf blower.