Why do you even pull reefers?

Why do I do reefer. A few, one reason is high fuel costs. Why run the truck hauling cheap freight? If I sit at loading and off loading points longer. That’s fine. I let the reefer make the extra money compared to van. Less costs on fuel and wear and tear compared to a tractor. I get less miles on my tractor than if I compared long haul van. That’s fine with me. Comparative advantage. I am still doing fine during the downturn. Not many van and open deck guys can say that.

 

I pulled a reefer the last 6 years with the same company because I got this thing about eating , having a roof over my head , paying my bills and paying off my truck .
I did recently lease on with a dry van company but reefer work had nothing to do with the change.

 

You're gonna need sky high rates for those stupid appointment times and ridiculous wait times.

Nothing like a Monday 9am pick up time and a Friday 1am delivery appointment on a 1000 miles trip then add in the 17 hour unload time and 3 hour line for a washout after.

Only book loads with closer appointments? Okay then a 15 hour loading time will throw all that off and you miss your delivery appointment and have to wait days for another appointment.

Been there done that.

What good is a good rate per mile when you blow days waiting for appointments and/or forever in a doors?

Now if I could lease on with an all drop and hook reefer carrier thats a different story.
I may even be willing to give up a big percent for that.

 

I do my own washouts before I wait 3 hours in line. I keep scrub brush, flat mops, and the lot in my handy dandy tool box. Both my reefers got em for when you’re in a tight spot. Too easy. I ain’t walking away from work. I have to look myself in the mirror. Laziness is pathetic. If reefer was so low paying… how come I got a 22 Dane, 24 utility, and a 22 Pete? Hard work pays. Crying don’t .

 

Back in the day my reefer washout consisted of a cordless dewalt leaf blower for 5 minutes. About 9 out of 10 or maybe 99 out 100 that I really needed a washout. If I saw an hour line at the blue beacon I kept on trucking. But now I run paid out of route miles and wash my truck at the terminal on the clock. Wow, hard to believe I get paid to drive a truck lol.

 

I started out pulling a reefer when I was young and I pretty much stay with the reefer because of the long miles and the heavier loads for running in the winter months as I like going to the northwest.