Driving Reefers Vs. Driving Dry Vans

[Bigmon]

I was talking to a driver from Roehl that does regional and he said for him he only gets about 300 miles a day with dry van. Other than that he said they were OK.

[Ford390pwr]

I am heading towards Central Refrigerated and I was just wondering if someone could tell me this? When you haul a refrigerated trailer, do you have to hose it out after every load? This came from a guy that drove a few years back and he said that it was a royal pain to clean the refer after every load.

I saw that Prime is using a high tech refer program to ensure that the temps are always where they need to be. Does anyone know if this is the same with Central Refrigerated?

[Jackrabbit379]

My Recommendation??

You can make BIG money, and I do mean MUCHO DINERO, hauling REEFERS around the country....... as long as you don't get caught!!

Heck yeah, man! You start doing that, and the money will soon start rollin in.

[bigrigjoe66]

I drove reefer the past 10 months or so. I don't know much about the companies you are looking at but I do know about reefers, alittle. You will have appointments pickup/delivery. Some will let you in early if they are able but don't get mad if you are told no. I got to Dallas Tx on Sunday morning around 10 am and my appointment wasn't until Monday morning at 8 am. There was only a few trucks around so I thought great. Not, they told me to wait until Monday. But there were times I got in early. Just be nice and respectful when you ask but always ask.

Appointment times, especially delivery, are usually early morning. I had some at 2/3 am. Get use to sleeping with the reefer kicking on/off. I loved it. I don't know how companies are but I ran for an O/O and he said to find out how much they charged for lumper service and I would be paid that if I did the unloading. 90% of the time it was a good deal to me and I did it. The only times I didn't was when it may make me late for my next drop. They can unload it faster than you. Quick example. I unloaded 6 pallets of chicken at a Tyson plant in Jax Fl. I had to break them down into 10 pallets. Took about 45 min and was not hard at all. I got a little exersice and made 125.00. Oh yea, you will have multiple stops on each load most of the time as well. I liked reefer alot more than van, which I drove for 6 months or so. Good luck

[Ford390pwr]

I drove reefer the past 10 months or so. I don't know much about the companies you are looking at but I do know about reefers, alittle. You will have appointments pickup/delivery. Some will let you in early if they are able but don't get mad if you are told no. I got to Dallas Tx on Sunday morning around 10 am and my appointment wasn't until Monday morning at 8 am. There was only a few trucks around so I thought great. Not, they told me to wait until Monday. But there were times I got in early. Just be nice and respectful when you ask but always ask.

Appointment times, especially delivery, are usually early morning. I had some at 2/3 am. Get use to sleeping with the reefer kicking on/off. I loved it. I don't know how companies are but I ran for an O/O and he said to find out how much they charged for lumper service and I would be paid that if I did the unloading. 90% of the time it was a good deal to me and I did it. The only times I didn't was when it may make me late for my next drop. They can unload it faster than you. Quick example. I unloaded 6 pallets of chicken at a Tyson plant in Jax Fl. I had to break them down into 10 pallets. Took about 45 min and was not hard at all. I got a little exersice and made 125.00. Oh yea, you will have multiple stops on each load most of the time as well. I liked reefer alot more than van, which I drove for 6 months or so. Good luck

Hey Joe, did you have to hose out the refer after each load?

[bigrigjoe66]

No. Was never asked by anyone to do it or had it been done. My employer told me if I needed it done to go to a truck wash and let them do it and he would pay. I did have to sweep it out one time in Ky before the guy would load me though. I swept it out on my hometime and left doors open to air it out.

[--grande--]

Hey Joe, did you have to hose out the refer after each load?

The company I work for makes you clean out the trailer before and after every load.

Half the time I do it, the other half someone else does it

Its not that hard, takes 10 min tops. And If you do it everytime, it stays that much cleaner

[bigrigjoe66]

I swept it out a lot but not everytime. I did clean it out everytime, I hated the pieces of pallet between the grooves in the floor. Some were wedged in pretty tight.

[bigrigjoe66]

Hey --grande-- I see your rice haters truck but I had a Yamaha motorcycle that was made in America as well as a Nissan Altima that was made in Alabama. I had a Chevy Avalanche that was made in Mexico. So now a days you cant tell where stuff comes from anymore.