Don't be affraid to pull a reefer

[White Dog]

I used to hate dealing with pallet exchange, and lumpers, and wash-outs. You know, some of the extra work (usually free work) required for reefer operations.

The long waits at shippers, only to wait at the consignee (usually free) that much longer.

The little extra time at the fuel pump to fill reefer tank, and the seperate reciptes (all free time).

Like I said; I used to hate it.

After some experience and a little patience, you find that all that stuff can easily be "slipped in" during a normal day, and become habitual.

Now; I find myself prefering reefer operations to all the others, because the freight pays better, and (with time) becomes a "way of life".

Those down times on both ends is good oportunity to catch up on paper work, sleep, trucker BS secions etc.....

Don't let the nay sayers scare you from pulling a reefer----if you like lllloooonnnngggg runs (like me) it's the trailer for you.......no other operation even comes close in average length of haul.

[cgi_reddog]

boy you ain't kidding there, I've done a lot better pulling a reffer than any ohter outfit I've hauled for. and seen better places(not so dirty) but getting into some of the docks can be tight, so watch your mirrors :yikes:

I would not, will not ever trade my reefer for any other trailer ever again......................... :) :) :) :) :)

48" 2003 Wabash 10-2 spread with dumps TK Whisper ............I love it!!!! :harhar: :harhar: :harhar: :harhar: :harhar:

[truckerdale]

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :wow: ..............

The only trailer I ever pulled long haul was a reefer .. first one was a 42.5 Utility and the next was a 45' Dane ... got to see lots of different places .. did have a few lengthy waits ,, but not very many ,, have seen trucks waiting for days for a straight load of berries heading east .... and we reefer haulers know .. that if ya do it good an ya do it right .. ya be stopping every 200-300 miles (give or take a few) to check them temps .. and what better time to get a little snack ... :) :)

[Roadranger13]

I have been in this biz for 31 years. I pulled a flat w/precast concrete for about a year (talk about work!) and a mini-wheeler dump for about two years, the rest has been long haul pullin' a reefer. Only way to go! I have a nice soft job now, new rig ('05), company pays all lumper fee's. Pull flowers from Miami to Chicago, reload meat or cheese out of Wisconsin. Gone 5-7 days and home again! :cheers:

[sweet_whiskey]

I'm glad Zig and Rabelam don't come in here. I'd hate to hear how terrible it is to pull a reefer. :p :rofl: Oh and that Fred dood.... he's kind of strange so add him in. :wtf:

I always thought of pulling a flatbed. I just can't see myself pulling anything but these noisy, can't sleep at night, constantly watching the lights, pulping the trailer reefers. Plus side, you get exercise, you get respect, you get dry and flatbedders pissed at you when you park by them. :rofl:


Life is Good!

[Foxfire]

RoadRanger did you pull that concrete pipe out of Palatka for Price Bros?

[sweet_whiskey]

Here at WSE I have to deal with pallets on occasion. Not very often do I have to bother with it. That's another good quality with this company. The last 3 years I had to go grab pallets maybe 15 times. Not to bad if you ask me.

Usually it's around D/FW area when I pick up at Americold or Miller. Then when I get pallets back and I know I won't need any, I usually just leave them at the docks.

That makes my life alot easier and shoot they don't even want me to lump a load. I tried to convince them not to long ago to let me. Theresa my fleet manager didn't see it my way. She said "you are already losing weight, why do the extra work?"

Way I see it, I'm happy as a peach with this company. The ups outweigh the down. Everyone has to complain, but when it's set up to where 30 dollars a hour up to 12 hours of detention pay, my nice raise I keep getting and the fact that the office personel know me by name. Gives me a sense of friendship amongst them. :D

[Roadranger13]

Firefox, sorry to take so long to get back. But, no it was not pipe, storm drain manholes, etc. out of St. Cloud, Fl. I was home every night and off weekends but the work involved!!!! So it was back OTR.

[Roadranger13]

Pallets are a big hassle! Customers won't take bad pallets but don't mind giving them to you! Wal-Mart is no pallet exchange so you lose them. I don't know why everyone dosen't go to CHEP style pallets, then no hassle!!!!

[sweet_whiskey]

I believe because CHEP pallets are expensive and buying cheap pallets at approx. 7-9.00 a pallet is easier then 50.00 or more for CHEP.

Thing is, CHEP pallets are more sturdy and less dangerous then el cheapo pallets.

We are just drivers, what do we know.

[trashwagon]

:fear: :freaked:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v218/trashwagon/Cnv0267.jpg
:harhar: :harhar: :harhar: :harhar: :harhar: :harhar: :harhar:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v218/trashwagon/babe.gif :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[zoodon]

Been driving 3 yrs now for Marten, only truckin i've done, at first had to hassle about pallet exchange, now, never get pallets back, all lumpers paid, automatic detention pay, life is good....never let the reefer fuel get below 1/2, had to prime a unit once...and only once......newer trailers with quiet units, can't even hear them if the truck is idleing...
longer hauls than dry freight for the most part....
i guess its what u become used to and feel comfortable doing

[SteelCityNomad]

never let the reefer fuel get below 1/2, had to prime a unit once...and only once......newer trailers with quiet units, can't even hear them if the truck is idleing...


hmmmm....Tractor has an air compressor.........reefer fuel tank has a vent.......... now what can we do with those two things to get fuel up to the reefer unit???? :wacko:

[PartTimeDweller]

hmmmm....Tractor has an air compressor.........reefer fuel tank has a vent.......... now what can we do with those two things to get fuel up to the reefer unit???? :wacko:


a) open bleeder on reefer engine.

b) blow air into tank vent, short bursts, as you don't want to over- pressurize the tank. This saves you from cleaning up a big mess. (I found this out the hard way first time I did it. The boss was on the deck plate and told me to blow some air into the tank. So I did, but he never told me to go easy. Boss got a diesel bath, and I had to clean the back of the tractor. :rofl:

c) run up front and close bleeder.

d) start unit.

[Highway Flyer]

i pulled reffer for years and love it, usally get in to a door quickly with em........and i love my new 1:10 spreed axle great for the loading....espacily on my tractor cause shes heavy

[sweet_whiskey]

Try pulling a haunted trailer.

That's right!

I said haunted.

I picked up this brand new trailer at Hershey in Redlands, Ca. The whole trip the dang reefer would shut off. I mean the whole unit!

Not once, but 9 times in 4 days. After putting it in the shop 3 times, the techs figured that nothing is wrong with it.

Sure am glad I dropped that possessed trailer off at Hershey tonight.

[JODY]

I HOPE THE DEALER FOUND A LOSE PLUG OR WIRE ? DID THE OTHER 3 DEALERS DOWN LOAD THE UNIT?

[Roadranger13]

They call the new TK units a "smart reefer". Well mine was so smart it would start on its own! Shut it off and within 5 minutes it had restarted! TK replaced the control module and all was well again.

[sweet_whiskey]

I did ask them if they checked the plugs, wires etc. I also asked them if they downloaded the new software and they did.

I asked if they checked the control board and they said they did. I dropped the trailer and informed the shop that it might not be fixed correctly. I did my job and the tech's couldn't do theirs I guess.

[Company5]

I thought about hauling reefer freight. Having only hauled and dealt with LTL dry freight I thought there would be a lot to learn and deal with. I've been to a few grocery warehouses with dry freight and never did like the wait and usually when you are paid by the hour the company will not let you sit very long. I also thought it was always funny how I, the driver, am suppossed to provide free labor to stack their product they way they want it. Why not specify to the shipper how it must be. Do you tell the postman to come inside and seperate the bills from the junk mail, etc. I guess it's all apart of belonging to the club.
Funny thing is I had a recruiter call me yesterday while I was up in Gainseville GA trying to pitch some refridgerated company out of Pendergrass GA. How they got my number, I'll never really know, but I let her yak away talking about how their drivers can make a thousand a week. She didn't say who it was for, but according to the details, it sounded like one of those multi stop grocery haulers, Sygma, Sysco, etc. Too much work for too little money. ALthough I did have to hand load 250 car tires later that day, so I got a work out after all.
Getting back to my original intent. I always thought that if you pulled a reefer, you could always find something to haul. People aren't going to starve and the freight should be pretty consistant. Am I wrong, tell me cause I don't really have a clue. I thought about doing something on my own next spring and I figured I would do the reefer thing as I want to move out of the Atlanta area but every time I look on one of these load boards all I ever see is all these flatbed loads. It made me think that all these big carriers like JB, SNI etc must take up all the dry and reefer freight at cut rates only leaving flats to the O/Os?

[Roadranger13]

Well, Company5, as I told Big Dave on another forum here, what ever you can stuff into the trailer. Some places in this big country runs more to one type of freight. I have had dock plates that I brought in out of Canada for the new warehouse the company I worked for then was building. I have had a printing press roller for the National Inquier. Stainless steel wirer on pallets that was to go on a flatbed but the broker couldn't get one to go in that direction, and etc..... Plus all the refrigerated frieght that I normaly haul. So to make a short story long, never fear a reefer!!!!! You are right about one thing, dry freight if usually (not always) CHEAP!!!! Just remember the title of this topic. :cheers:

[sweet_whiskey]

My recent trailer was screwy!

I had been pulling it for days before it decided to crap out on me.

Wednesday it decided to not start, due to over heating. I was at my shipper and in the door when WSE decided not to have Carrier come out there to fix the problem. So I had to get unloaded and drive the SLC.

No problem, I thought to myself.

I got there, a hour passed and they told me I was fixed. Needless to say it was a temporary fix that would last a few hours.

I got loaded in Clearfield, UT, drove to the J in Ogden and heard a helicopter sound and spitting water coming from the very top of the reefer. :wtf: :wtf: :wtf:

I played stupid and said that I had no idea what was the problem (hello water pump or something.)

I also told them I wasn't going to move and that Carrier can come to me. I also pointed out that I was on my 10 SB.

So the guy came out, fixed the pump, looked at me like I was a dork and had me sign the paper. Needless to say the reefer was loud before and even louder afterwards.

Guess the dood wasn't used to seeing a hot sassy female like myself. :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

I'm teasing.