Reefer Trailers

[ABYSS]

What do you need to know when you have a load with a Reefer Trailers ???

[RodeoJoe]

You should have basic mechanical knowledge so that you can troubleshoot and make emergency repairs in the event that the reefer quits. The newer units are self-diagnostic and will tell you what is wrong with them. Reefers are loaded differently than flats or dry boxes in that the reefer unit hanging off the front end weighs 3 - 5 thousand pounds and a driver has to take this into account when planning load distribution. You also have to load with air circulation in mind as some products require at least 2 sided access to the circulating air, strawberries come to mind. These are a few points to ponder, there are others. Hauling reefers is a specialized part of our industry and has its own tricks of the trade. It is to your credit that you ask these questions, there is a wealth of info on this site combined with a lot of folk with a lot of experience. So, ask away, we're here to help.

[Paul]

Also make sure to have the manual with all the error codes along with a directory of all the service points for that specific reefer. when you have a full load and the reefer mysteriously stops working the last thing you want to do is try to figure out where to take it

[ROADHUGGER]

Good point , we ensure that there is a full binder with all the info in our trucks at all times , another point to remember is FUEL , many places will not allow you to drop a reefer trailer if the fuel tank is below 3/4 full.

[gary]

Used to work at a produce distribution centre, and this time of the year (when the temperatures dropped) we would go over the loads like crazy because every couple of days you would finds loads that would be frozen solid. The worse I seen was a load of cantolopes that were frozen all the way through. Sometimes we would get BC apples and the skids at the end of the load would be frozen. It would only occur for a couple week when the temperature dropped drastically.
Most loads had temperature recorders in them positioned in the back, front and middle. Also seen drivers ask for printouts of the temperature recorders, and check the temperature themselves.
Personally when I received a load I would check the temperature reading twice with a therometer and never bothered with the recorders, but if there was a problem with quality, the recorders would be gone over with a magnifying glass.:36_21_4[1]:

[ROADHUGGER]

Saw the opposite years back . load of swinging BEEF was dropped at a yard , they mixed up the paper work and shuffled the trailer way to the back , it ran out of fuel and sat and sat and sat ( 2 MONTHS ) through a rather warm July & August.

Talk about a smelly mess.

[ManitoulinMan]

The last company I was at, had a TL of Manderian Oranges come in. For one reason or another, the trailer never made it onto the reefer check, but someone else kept filling the fuel tank. The distribution centre called the company a few weeks later and by the time anyone had figured anything out, the oranges were frozen solid. What a waste.

[maan]

Who takes the hit for that? Ins job? How much is the loss?

[RodeoJoe]

Any way you slice it, the company is going to take the hit. Used to be, could still be, that your next years cargo insurance premium was your last years claims plus 10 - 20%. All cargo insurance is is a method of financing your losses at fairly high interest rates. Companies that have a big enough cash flow will cover their own cargo losses and eliminate the middle man.