|
03-15-2008, 07:20 AM
|
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Denver, Colorado
Posts: 50
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
|
Refrigerated Driving
Through all of my reading that I have done on here I have seen nothing but idle mentions as to "coolie carriers suck". Can anyone give me legitimate reason as to why they are sub-par compared to everything else? Also, while I am on the subject, what makes flatbeds so much better than everything else?
|
03-15-2008, 07:28 AM
|
Member
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 83
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
|
take this for what it's worth - it's based on reading this board and others..
but I don't think it's the drivers (other than the sneer at somebody who can't get out of an unwanted job).
It's my understanding that reefheads pretty much have to offload their trailers themselves - and don't get paid for it. And if you can't get out of a job like that.. well.. some might feel justified in looking down their noses.
Of course, if I'm wrong, somebody will be sure to let me know
Me, if I drove a reefer, I'd see about putting my bunk in there.. A/C just never seems to get the place cool enough for a good night's sleep
|
03-15-2008, 08:07 AM
|
Board Regular
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Chino Valley, Az
Posts: 497
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
|
As a flatbedder, my reasoning on why I think flats are better is simple. Load and Unload times are minimal and I've never had to touch my load. Forklifts and cranes do it for me.
__________________
When a white army battles Indians and wins, itis called a great victory, but if they lose itis called a massacre.Chiksika, Shawnee
|
03-15-2008, 10:07 AM
|
Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Rochester, NY
Posts: 133
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
|
'Coolie carriers', as I understand it, is a reference to East Asian 'coolies', or (from merriam-webster.com) "an unskilled laborer or porter usually in or from the Far East hired for low or subsistence wages". If someone's talking about 'reefers', it's usually refrigerated trailers, not joints.
|
03-15-2008, 02:28 PM
|
Senior Board Member
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Sacramento, CA
Posts: 828
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
|
I have been pulling reefers for about 2.5 years now. Have never ever touched the frieght other than to check the count. The D.C.s have a lumper service and you will either pay them with a ComChek or your company has an account with them. They will not let you drive their forklifts so just pay up the fees and go take a nap.
The big beef with reefers is the waiting you have to do at cold storage sheds and dist centers to be either loaded or unloaded. Usually you will get detention pay after waiting two hours. Meat loads are the absolute worst for waiting.
After about a week you will not even know the reefer unit is on, its like living next to the freeway, you get used to it.
I haul produce to a Walmart D.C. and no matter what the economy is, we have to eat so my frieght has never slowed down.
__________________
Tom
|
03-15-2008, 03:24 PM
|
Member
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 86
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
|
I've pulled reefers for the last three months, and have unloaded twice -- both of which I was paid handsomely for doing. Some live loads/unloads are very slow, but that's true for dry vans also. Dry van loads have a higher percentage of drop and hook, which can make a difference in "sit and wait" time, but some of my longest wait times have been when I'm carrying dry-van loads in my reefer.
Personally, I like pulling the reefer. A bit more work, a few more headaches, but not significant.
|
03-15-2008, 04:41 PM
|
Guest
Posts: n/a
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Mentioned: Post(s)
Tagged: Thread(s)
|
"coolie carriers" is from the great and wise CFM. he did not like the big OTR companies and that is how he described them. unfortunatly he has been banned so we will no longer understand how bad large companies that do otr suck...over, and over, and over, and over again. it has nothing to do with refrigerated freight.
|
03-15-2008, 05:54 PM
|
Board Regular
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 280
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Mentioned: Post(s)
Tagged: Thread(s)
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
|
pullin reefer is easy to sum up,either you love it or you hate the thing nuff said
__________________
go with the flow..........or just don't go nuff said
|
03-15-2008, 06:13 PM
|
BANNED
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Long gone from here
Posts: 0
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Mentioned: Post(s)
Tagged: Thread(s)
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
|
The blind leading the blind in this thread...
Coolie Carriers :
Swift
Crash and Roll England
JB Hunt
etc.......
|
03-15-2008, 10:32 PM
|
Guest
Posts: n/a
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Mentioned: Post(s)
Tagged: Thread(s)
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Mentioned: Post(s)
Tagged: Thread(s)
|
Reefers are nice for one reason WE ALWAYS HAVE TO EAT. That means Reefers always have loads moving. Yes the Loading and unloading can suck but the Detention time helps plus newer untis are ALOT quieter than the ones I pulled. Ones I pulled you knew when they were running with the older ones lets say they shook the whole truck when satring and stopping.
|
|
|
|