Reefer Owner Operators ??
 

Gotta ??, whats some of the major issues you have to deal with when your an Independent pulling a Reefer?? I've pulled Reefer trailer most of my short career but i like to know what would i have to put up with as being the owner such as costs and maintance? and how are rates for reefer loads in this Economy?? i seen a couple loads coming out of Virginia heading over to Texas that was paying $2 a mile.. This can't be the norm can it?? Another question is whats the plus of having a 53 over a 48?? Most loads i use to pull wouldn't be loaded past the 48 mark inside the trailer..

The expenses you will run in to can vary greatly. Just like anything else there are good units and there are lemons.

I pulled a reefer for a company doing delivery of general goods for a chain of Drug Stores. The trailer was only 8 years old and looked really nice. It was a Great Dane with the polished Stainless exterior. I had nothing but trouble with the unit. In all seriousness, in 6 months, the unit never made 8 consecutive hours without failing and that was in the spring and summer. I found out later that the reefer unit was almost 20 years old. I told the company that if they weren't planning on replacing the trailer before winter I would not be staying. My turnaround point on the route was Sydney Montana. I told them I was not willing to babysit the reefer all night as opposed to sleeping just to save their merchandise. We didn't get things worked out so I left. Later that winter I ran in to my replacement, he was pulling a brand new trailer. When I asked him about it, he told me they froze a partial load due to the failure of the reefer and decided to upgrade the trailer. Imagine that. The unit was a ThermoKing and the problems they were having were all electrical.

As far as 53 or 48 foot trailers, I think the 53 foot reefers are illegal in some states because the unit extends the overall length beyond 53 feet. I know it used to be that way when they first legalized 53 foot trailers nationwide but that may have changed by now.