The "Dry Vs. Reefer" Question..
Topic 20412 | Page 1
Both have their Pro's and Con's in my opinion.
Dry van is lighter so they can haul those 45,000+ loads and the shipper can stack the product much higher since theres no air chute.
But they're prone to slower freight during winter where as reefer basically never stops. People always need to eat, especially in America.
Shipper:
The customer who is shipping the freight. This is where the driver will pick up a load and then deliver it to the receiver or consignee.
Dry Van:
A trailer or truck that that requires no special attention, such as refrigeration, that hauls regular palletted, boxed, or floor-loaded freight. The most common type of trailer in trucking.Reefer:
A refrigerated trailer.
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.
The flexibility that a reefer trailer has will definitely help keep you moving a little more consistently than dry van will at most companies. Dry van tends to have higher highs and lower lows than refrigerated overall, mostly in step with the highs and lows of the various holiday seasons.
If you have your Hazmat endorsement that will give you even more flexibility.
HAZMAT:
Hazardous Materials
Explosive, flammable, poisonous or otherwise potentially dangerous cargo. Large amounts of especially hazardous cargo are required to be placarded under HAZMAT regulations
Dry Van:
A trailer or truck that that requires no special attention, such as refrigeration, that hauls regular palletted, boxed, or floor-loaded freight. The most common type of trailer in trucking.Reefer:
A refrigerated trailer.
Thanks for that Brett. Diversifying a skill set is never a bad idea in any context. I plan on following the advise given here and sticking with my company. They don't require/request hazmat but one never knows what they have cookin'.. A growing outfit for sure.
HAZMAT:
Hazardous Materials
Explosive, flammable, poisonous or otherwise potentially dangerous cargo. Large amounts of especially hazardous cargo are required to be placarded under HAZMAT regulations
OWI:
Operating While Intoxicated
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I've seen a bit of chatter regarding this question and as much good input.
I pull reefer , however, I'd say a little over 25% (maybe more) of my loads have been dry. Point being; a reefer CAN be a dry van and a dry van CAN'T be a reefer....
I expect the dual purpose application keeps us running hard.
Dry Van:
A trailer or truck that that requires no special attention, such as refrigeration, that hauls regular palletted, boxed, or floor-loaded freight. The most common type of trailer in trucking.Reefer:
A refrigerated trailer.