Driving reefer vs other loads and other questions

ok I got to say this: you pull a reefer or any trailer for that matter.. as for the noise the idling engines next to you at the truck stop are louder. True you can wait to get loaded, but I have run more loads than my son who pulls a dry van.. people have to eat.. I fuel the reefer when I fuel the truck.. only had two reefers fail on me (luckily they were empty), but thermokings response was great.. worse thing about reefers is you are always loaded heavy.. I don't make to many runs less than 78K gross.

 

No matter how bad the economy gets, people always have to eat. There's extended loading at times. But you can use that to your advantage. Temp sensitive freight usually runs tight schedules and your usually the last one in a truck stop or you run all night. Refridgerated stuff is more critical than frozen stuff because of the limited shelf life. The stores need as much time as they can get to sell the stuff. In the meat business, you'll do alot of middle of the night deliveries. Produce is usually in the morning. But most reefer drivers are runners. There's no room for crying. You get the job done. Git er done!

 

Grandpa3x, I wouldn't worry to much about pay the first year. As for type of loads, Ima be with Celticwolf on this. Reefers will be in demand as you move freight that is temperature sensitive, and ALOT of stuff in grocery world is sensitive.

 

Everything in this post is stated in a "in general sense" as every situation has variables and exceptions.


People who pay more per mile will run shorter loads. The reason being as pay is based on per mile it is harder to keep turn over low if you have drivers consistently running shorter hops with more load unload time versus long runs with less load unload times.

Now flatbeds will pay more as there is more work involved and the runs tend to be shorter say than reefer runs. Some compensate their drivers on a per load basis for tarping, some just build it into the pay structure.

Company choice is a personal thing. No one company will be bad for every driver, nor will every company be good. Personally control of my finances is paramount so I would not sign onto a deal that in debt's me to the person also supplying my compensation. Now thousand's have done so, I would not.

Length of service for raises is a crap shoot. Accepting a lower starting point for bigger rewards in the future requires trust that there will be a future. However companies unable to keep workers because of conditions will offer sign on bonus' and higher starting pay to keep new employee's coming in. They need these employee's because for those before there was no future.





Type of hauls varies as much as choice of company.

I pull van trailers. I have hauled everything from steel coils to micro-electronics used in targeting systems, with Paper stock, recyclables, computers, shoes , explosives, ammunition, pens, pencils, Depends( the adult diaper ), medical supplies, film (both developed and undeveloped), ink, crayons, silverware.........well the list is truly endless.

I have hauled feedstuffs in everything from hoppers to frame less dumps.I have hauled cattle, hogs, and horses. All have there plus' and minuses. No one rule would describe any type of trucking I have seen.

 

Sorry hit the post button.

Reefers will spend a lot of time dealing with warehousing and lumpers were vans with less time sensitive stuff will be more drop and hook.

Flats are pretty much FCFS which translates into no waiting some days and hours upon hours others. So do most bulk haulers.



Reefers and flats require a bit more attention to cargo in transit.

 

I get to walk now and then. Hahahahaha

Not everything we carry is perishable.. some stuff just needs to be kept from freezing or getting to hot.

 

How about securing the cargo in a reefer? Loads bars/logistic straps or both?

 

I have run FB and refer, I hate waiting at shippers with the reefers and fb you wait sometimes but my experience is you show up early they off load you early for the biggest part. I ran FB first, then refer and ended up going back to fb because refer was extremely boring to me and I like a challenge such as figuring out how to secure the load properly. FB ain't for everyone and it isn't easy but I enjoy it much more.