Why do you even pull reefers?

For two years I pulled a reefer.
Prior to this I ran rgn and landoll in the north east. Typically crane loaded or I drove it or winched it on myself. I could be in, chained up and out in less than 45 minutes.

So I went reefer. The rates were amazing so the 4-6 hour load times, 3-14 hour unload times were worth it. Then the spot market crashed. I made the assumption this is just how boxes are.

Now I have been doing van for 3 weeks, and it's the best 3 weeks of my life (stress and drama wise, not money)
Typically I am loaded or unloaded in less than 1 hour, as long as I am not too early. No worry about the reefer breaking down, wrong temperature, count, brix level, product loading temp, or if the trailer will be rejected for being a loose definition of "dirty".
Basically unless I screw up the driving or fail to secure the load, I'm fine.

So why, in a down market, do you even bother with reefer?

I get it, when I could get $3-5 a mile it's worth it... But the loading/unloading time is complete crap.

 

I went to Vegas once to pickup some equipment. Before I was done with the chains I was in heat stroke. Other times of the year you freeze, and ice coats everything.
Money was great but in my new Florida market, it's not like it was when I had Newark, and all the constant heavy equipment that they would haul into the port/out of the port. I looked into landoll down in FL, I might as well go work for Sunbelt instead of buying one.