Reefer
Also called Refrigerated trailer
A reefer is a refrigerated trailer with its own diesel-powered cooling unit, used for temperature-controlled freight such as produce, frozen goods and pharmaceuticals.
Last reviewed · by the Fleetchart team
Reefer freight typically pays better than dry van and costs more to run: the unit burns its own fuel, needs separate maintenance, and the trailer is heavier.
Temperature records are part of the paperwork. A load rejected for temperature excursion becomes a claim, and the record is what decides responsibility.
Reefer lanes are seasonal, following produce, which makes annual averages a poor guide to any given month.
For example, say a reefer load pays $3,000 for 1,000 miles and a dry van load on the same lane pays $2,600. The reefer pays $400 more. But say the reefer unit burns 25 gallons on the trip at $4.00 a gallon, which is 25 × $4.00 = $100, and reefer upkeep adds $0.10 a mile, which is another $100. The real gap is $400 − $100 − $100 = $200.
That $200 is what has to pay for the pricier trailer and the higher risk of a claim. Track reefer fuel apart from truck fuel so you can see what each load really earned.