To Reefer or Not To Reefer?

At first the con can be, running reefer, keeping you up, not use to the noise, some pros, If no seal or have a vent door, you can keep thing cold, if you dont have a frig, Jump start a weak battery on you truck, supply power to you truck, if no inverter or apu, just for starters.

Why shouldnt they?, just make sure you understand the operations, and pay close attention to temps through out the day, and night if possible, report any changes to company, let them make decitions on temps, dont do this yourself, Good luck, keep the shinny side up and greacy side down

 

People have to eat no matter how bad the economy gets. You have to learn to sleep with the reefer running. There are alot of late night loads, running and deliveries.

It depends on the person. New drivers have alot on their hands learning to drive, all the regulations and paperwork. A reefer is just that much more they have to learn taking care of the reefer and knowing how to take care of your perishable freight. Your body has to adapt to working different shifts and waking up at a moments notice. I would take it one step at a time and start out in a dry van. Then when you get a year or two under your belt, then make the move to reefer if you so chose.

If you feel like you are a quick learner, there's reefer companies that take students. Jump in there if you feel like that's what you want. I wouldn't get in no hurry. It's just added responsibility.

 

Been in this industry over 20+ years.
Never ever hooked up to a reefer. Have had no desire to ever pull one.
If I have to pull a food load let it be can goods. Just way to much sitting and weird delivery and pick up time. Just read through here. Drivers waiting hours or days for chickens or at slaughter houses. Or 2 days chasing 5 or 6 pickups to make one produce load. Then PUSHED to make delivery For me I deal enough with food warehouses with a dry van No way I want to deal with them on every load. And lumpers is a story all it's own

 

One pro not mentioned is you can carry dry and cold loads. This opens up opportunities to get freight. I'd say a good 60% of the loads I've taken back from the east coast after taking meat or produce out there has been dry freight. A reefer trailer is heavier though so you won't get as much weight in.

 

I have pulled mostly reefer during my trucking career and have found no difference in waiting times for getting loaded and unloaded. Do they make noise? Yep! No different then the rest of the trucks idling in the parking lot though. You do have a lot more options for loads. You can haul dry or refrigerated and hazmat. No tier building in reefer trailers. Do they require extra work? Yes but its minimal. These new reefers run themselves and very rarely do you have to do anything to them. You keep checking your mirror for the green light and you're good.

Like anything else its going to boil down to personal opinion. If you start out the gates hauling nothing but reefer you will never know the difference and it will just be a regular thing to you. Reefer does pay more so that is a perk and you usually get issued a thermometer too so that's a really big perk!

 

I started with Refr. It is not hard.

Funny thing, just yesterday in Indiana's heavy rain. I hopped in the trailer to install a load lock. The refr was set at -10. Since my shoes were wet, they froze to the floor! (note to self and others, always wear gloves in the box when it is set that low!)

Since Refrs carry foods, you often have to get a washout between loads. There is not always one available nearby. Shippers always want a clean trailer or you may be refused at the dock. Sometimes just sweeping out any dirt and debris is adequate, but if there is an odor that needs to be addressed.

You will find out things you did not want to know. Like the trailers that haul hazmat loads also haul your packaged goods and even fresh, hardly packaged produce!!!! Don't worry, they were probably rinsed out before hand... Hehehehehe

Mikeeee

 

Prehires are mot much more than advertisements. Get many. after researching companies narrow your choices to 3 or 5 then ask them to check and see if you meet all their eligibility requirements. You will have to provide some personal information. That is why you wait until you have narrowed your choices.

There are a hundred threads about which company is best. None are! There are only bad ones and then the rest.

Mikeeee