Reefers
 

Are reefers a pain in the arse????
Just curious since I applied at Central Ref. :?

They take getting use to. They are heavier...so you have to get good at weight distribution. Your loads tend to push your weight-capacity limits...so you must watch you don't get overloaded.

You tend to reload and/or keep busier...since you run food and can also run dry loads. But...typically the loading docks are more stressful and disrespectful to the Driver....so you do need a thick skin.

The new whisper-quiet reefers are nice. You might pull and older unit once in awhile that will rattle you when they start, and they are louder...but you will adjust to it.

The floors are ribbed, and tougher to sweep out...and you must keep them clean...but if you stay on top of that...you'll be fine. Sometimes you will just need to do a washout....especially after hauling meat.

Some freight will be temp-sensitive...and you will need to babysit more....but no different than having to watch straps and chains on a flatbed load. Just part of the business.

Maybe easiest loads are Van...but they will say otherwise. Especially if they have an unpalletized load... :lol:
It's all what you learn and get use to.

The disrespect part is my biggest dislike. Flat loads....now they are usually greeted with smiles and enthusiasm. They make more pay per mile too. They work less in a day...some don't even have to rig their own load...they usually don't have to be there yesterday.... :evil: :evil:
you know what.... :evil: I HATE those guys! :lol:
Here....you take MY REEFER....I want a flatbed... :cry: :roll:

For me, reefers were an unnecessary burden. There's just no point in dealing with it. It doesn't pay more so why bother? It's just something else that people get themselves into then regret later and never go back to.

Some people like them others do not.

How good or bad it is really depends on the company you work and your dispatcher, which is true of any type of trailer you pull.

The good news with pulling reefers is that you can have a greater oppurtunity for loads as you can haul both dry and "wet" loads.

Many times the only sitting you will do is waiting to get loaded/.unloaded.

Most of the places you go to have lumpers available to unload you truck if need be. (good news/bad news thing I know).

Often times you get more "freebies" than on a dry van. (Overages or damages the reciever does not want and your company tells you to throw out).

The PITA comes in having very early deliveries,
Taking longer to unload as the reciever usually sorts and counts everything
A lot more loads are live load/unload verses drop and hook chances in a van.
Having idiots in truck stops who think you are running your reefer just to bug them shut it off on you.

I guess the only thing I've done is Reefer, so I don't have other experience to compare it to. So far, I like 'em. Sometimes the reciever will take the load early so you can get to your next load faster. The bigger companies may not.

Lumpers, to me, are worth every penny, and it's an expense our company picks up if properly documented. I'd rather pay someone a couple hundred to unload a floor load of boxes that weigh 75-100# than do it myself for the measley $40 our company pays for a driver unload.

Most of our loads have been on pallets. Sometimes we've had to buy pallets to swap out with the ones the shipper puts on, but that's a company paid expense, too.

Loading and unloading is oftentimes at odd hours. Last week we had a load that had two deliveries. One was at 11:30 local and the next was at 7:00 afterr a two or three hour drive. For these loads you have to plan your day carefully so you don't run out of hours.

That's about all I can add to this discussion.

I'm considering doing reefer, but help me out: what exactly is a lumper?

:?

This the guy you pay to unload your wagon, this is why refer sucks. :wink:

Is that optional, or required. Do you have to pay out of pocket and submit reimbursement?

In regards to Lumpers. There are no set rules. Some are Unionized Companies. Most are outside Contractors...seperate from the Distribution Center. Some places will allow you (Driver) to unload, and some will not.
Generally, the places that allow you to unload, you are limited to hand pallet-jacks...no motorized ones.

The smaller Recieving Docks tend to allow you to unload, but then many of them have their own personel do the unloading, and do no employ a Lumper Service.

I know this is sounding more complicated now...but you will be told when you check-in...what is allowed and what is not. If you do business with the same Docks over and over...you will get to even know the help by name, and some people can be fun to chat with.

When you pay for Lumpers...their rates all vary, and much according to what is being unloaded, how much, and how much "break-down" is required.

Breaking down a load means...you may have more than one item palletized together, and those will need to be seperated to there own pallets, so inventory count can be taken, as well as stored within the facility properly.
Sometimes your Shipper stacks cartons of product high to maximize use of space on your Trailer. These are simple break-down of layers to meet the Recieving Docks needs. (You might be stacked 7 layers high...and they store only 5 layers high per pallet...sorta thing.)

Payment is done in several ways. Comchecks are usually the most used method. It is a paper check payment off your Comdata Company Credit Card...and requires an authorization number.
You may use another Company Credit Card...if your Company chooses to pay this way.
Or you pay in cash...and get a reciept...you turn in for reimbursement.
When I pay cash...I can later withdraw that cash amount off my Comdata fuel card...when I fuel...or even withdraw the sum directly at the TS cashier...to reimburse myself, while OTR...rather than wait for reimbursement through turning in the reciept with my Bills to be repaid.

My Company allows me to do cash W/D up to $220 per week off my Comdata. But if necessary, I can request more allowance if I have the need....it just needs to be authorized first.

As mentioned...you unload Reefers in the middle of the night sometimes. My office is only open from 07:30 - 17:00 hours. So...I can't always get a Comcheck authorized. But I also tend to pay cash for Toll fees, Trailer washouts, Truck/Trailer wash & wax...scale fees, supplies like oil, antifreeze, windshield washer fluid, etc...........so I do add up cash reciepts...and if I'm out several weeks...I reimburse myself.

Thanks for the info Roadhog. That makes since, sounds like organization and documentation is the key. You seem to have a pretty good system working, if it was too complex I would have had to scratch CRS off my list of training schools. :wink: