New reefer driver tips

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Wasabi-Kungpow@reddit

Bring food and water. The wait times can be unbearable. Dont ever think youll be out in less than an hour and make a preplan pickup. Always ask for in and out times on the BOL for detention pay unless your company handles it differently.

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International_Fold17@reddit

Why are the wait times so weird with reefers as opposed to regular dry goods, etc?

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Wasabi-Kungpow@reddit

Because we deal with capstone. I also think they literally send samples to a fucking lab for testing. They also can store it in my trailer for as long as possible so they dont need to provide the power to cool it. They also like to use my reefer to cool their warehouse. Also see how long I can hold my shit before I take a dump in their dock because they dont provide bathrooms after waiting 18 hours. Lastly because they can and dont give a single fuck.

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International_Fold17@reddit

I'm all about our soulless corporate overlords putting the man in his place, but between the lack of bathroom access and the "they can wait " attitude, they're really not being good team players.

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No_Ocelot4019@reddit

Capstone. its the single most largest legalized criminal enterprise.

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Independent-Fun8926@reddit

Always triple check the reefer set point and mode and what’s on the BOL. Anything different, stop and asked somebody about it. Shipping desk, your dispatch, security. Don’t pull anything that isn’t right

Always check reefer fuel level and settings every time you step out of the truck and get back to it. Also check your fifth wheel and the seals. Scumbags may have messed with your stuff while you were gone

Get to know your split break rules very well. It was essential for me. Reefer hours suck. Unloading can take 3-4 hrs or more

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CryptoguyV2@reddit (OP)

In some of the training videos it showed that there was 3 different cycles on TK units, continuous, start stop, and cycle sentry I think. Does it matter which one you use or will the shipper specify it?

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red_dirt_ranger@reddit

There's only 2. Start/stop and cycle centry are the same thing, that's just what TK calls it.

Which you run will be determined by the shipper/bol.

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No_Ocelot4019@reddit

Dispatch/company may also determine this. My company doesnt care if its specified start stop or not all reefers are to be on continuous. Back story to that is were a smaller company and they tend to have massive hearts which is great but it also means we have a lot of... poor decision makers and they'll just completely ignore the reefer they lost a lot of loads last year due reefers just not restarting due to errors or needing repairs which is fixable if caught but ignoring your reefer for 2 days and then being shocked when you now have a tanker endorsement required load of melted ice cream is absolute diabolical behavior lol

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red_dirt_ranger@reddit

Yeahhhh you still have to watch them regardless what it's on 😂

Nobody is gonna be mad if you run continuous. I honestly don't think I've ever seen start/stop on a BOL anyway. If there's no specific on the BOL and the carrier wants to run continuous, that's just on their fuel bill.

I've hauled for the same 2 guys for the last decade. 26 and 34 degrees for the 2 loads. I run start/stop most of year. It'll almost never run in the winter and runs easy spring and fall. Good seal trailers, mine will usually stay off for about 30 minutes before it needs to restart. Once it starts getting closer to summer and restarting more often, I'll switch to continuous. Summer I'll run continuous because it restarts so fast you're not saving anything anyway and you're just overworking the starter.

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No_Ocelot4019@reddit

Oh you definitely do have to still watch them but not quite as close. I've been keeping the same three or four trailers that are all newer and pretty good. I was nott trying to insinuate it's a cure all but it has seemed to helped/fix the issue of drivers losing loads left and right. I'm a big fan of the get rid of the people causing stupid proof rules idea but 🤷‍♂️ not my company lol

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red_dirt_ranger@reddit

Oh I gotcha, yeah I was referring to the "ignore your reefer for 2 days" guys.

I've done it so damn long now it's ingrained in my body. I can "feel" when one shuts off too soon. Had my (ex) wife with me one time and I say straight up in bed and see was like what? I said the reefer shut off to quick, something's wrong. How can you tell it shut off too soon if you're asleep? I can feel it 😂😂

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No_Ocelot4019@reddit

Ahhh yea no before they watched the units like hawks we had a guy go from like Indiana to Oklahoma (don't quote me it's been a minute) pulled in the recievers lot opened the doors to what I imagine looked and smelled horrific. The unit had shut off inside of a couple hours of leaving the shipper...

As for the sleep. there's a garage out there with a tk unit built into the wall for an ac unit 🤣🤣 so it is an option lol

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Independent-Fun8926@reddit

Shipper will specify. If it isn’t on the BOL, ask about it. Never assume

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firstblush73@reddit

Most places will load you, and turn you loose. Cargill and National Beef are great at loading things sketchy high in the trailer, and NOT putting in load locks. Always put in the load locks. Things tip over and the customer refuses the entire load over it, and you're gonna hate trying to get rid of some of the frozen stuff when dispatch says "Dispose of it."

I learned to write my IN and OUT times on my BOLs MYSELF. If you ask, a lot of places will give you the run around, and the guardshack will usually say they cant write out times for you. When you do your empty call, write that time down and then put it on the BOLs. Unpaid detention is lost money, dont let them screw you over.

Park wherever theres an empty spot. Never, ever, in my 3 years of trucking, has anyone said anything to me about the reefer noise. NOW, with that being said ... if you end up with a Janky Ass, Crazy Loud, Countinuous Running Reefer, try and park on the end somewhere, so you're only subjecting one poor soul to the sound of our people.

Someone said bring food/snacks. Unless you like being hangry, you ARE gonna need those.

Seconding the "Learn Split Sleeper Berth" chances are, you are gonna end up with a dispatcher who will give you a 6am delivery, and a 10pm pickup. They dont give a damn when you sleep, or if you sleep. Just know that.

Have some sort of hobby or a gaming systen or something to keep you busy so you dont march yoursdlf over to the S&R office and ask them "How Much Fucking Longer Its Gonna Be?!" They will throw you off the property.

With alllll that being said, just know that the Shipping and Receiving guys are overworked and underpaid too. They dont have a lot of control over what the warehouse orders, and they are stuck trying to move product off the docks and "somewhere" else, so they can unload everyone. Patience goes a long way.

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CryptoguyV2@reddit (OP)

Thanks for all the tips, I've never used the split sleeper option before but can't be too hard to figure out. Something like being off duty for more than 2 hours but less than 7 right?

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No_Ocelot4019@reddit

Once you reach 2 hours in SB you get a pause upto i believe 8 hours I personally cant swear to that cause if in being kkept that long theyre going to facilitate the remainder of my 10 or call the cops and have me trespassed so I never have to return ☺️ now... if you take a break be it 2 and 8 or 3 and 7 you have to complete the reminder of that break to have your ten in however... if you take a 2 hour break then drive for 9 hours and take an 8 youre only going to have 2 hours on your clock you lose that in between time.

If you take a 2 hour and 25 minute break you still have to be in sleeper for 8 hours. If you take 1h45m break you have to do a 10 in sleeper. Dont let it stress you to horribly its all over Google research it memorize it once you know it you know it and you wont have issues. I highly recommend getting as close to if not on their lot to your appointment before you call it a night and go to bed. But thats person to person.

Show up early most places are willing to load early if they're not full Im consistently showing up at open waiting till the initial rush is over and then going in regardless of appointment times and get loaded in a decent time frame. Take naps often find something to do that brings joy during down time and for your own health sake walk a few laps around the truck stop when time allows it. Its pretty easy to pack on weight out here if you find yourself snaking due to boredom drink some water then go for a walk.

Dont be too proud to pull over and stretch your legs a bit when you get tired. Stop at a truck stop(NOT ON THE FUEL ISLAND)((unless its like dead of night and its a ghost town then by all means)) walk around a bit grab a monster or 3 (loves is doing buy 2 get 1 free right now if your a rewards person) or maybe a coffee/tea/water go to the bathroom wash your hands and face.

Dude wipes makes "shower wipes" that can be a life saver not everyday allows us time for a shower and you can get greasy quick. Always have a spare set of shoes if not 2 spare sets. If youre still at home go to your local store and buy any and all cold&flu, allergy, pepto, ibuprofen, Tylenol and whatever else you normally take when you get sick all of its heavily inflated at truck stops. Also keep a case of powerade in your truck for WHEN you get sick so your not running back and forth a 100times if you shut it down to get better.

At the end of the day YOU protect YOUR license if something is unsafe/illegal/unethical dont do it even if it costs you your job because if you get caught it follows you for a long time.

You can take a corner too slow everytime but you can only take a corner too fast once. Keep the greasy side down and your glass clean good luck driver!

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firstblush73@reddit

Pretty much what HolyOrangeJuice said below ... use the time that shippers make you wait, to extend your clock past the 14hrs. Then when you CAN actually take the longer portion, just take a full 10. Make sure you're in SLEEPER BERTH for the longer portion, or it doesnt count towards the needed hours.

*this is why you will see people slow roll (under 4mph) at shipper/receivers. They either got called a few minutes before their first split ended, or they are called to a dock in the middle of their break, and dont want to mess up their clock by restarting the entire time they waited for a dock. Keep the roll at 4mph, and you maintain your "break" time. Bump it past the 4mph, for more than a couple seconds, and your time is lost.

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HolyOrangeJuice@reddit

You do a short break and then a long break. Or a long break and then a short break. Either way completes the split. 2/8 or 3/7. Short can be off duty. Long has to be sleeper. After both breaks are completed you get the time back that you used up before the first break.

As reefer I use the short part during my day and then just do a 10 when I stop.

You get to a shipper, do your work, then go off or sleeper. While you're waiting your 14 hour workday clock is ticking down.

When you get to the 2 hour mark your 14 hour workday clock pauses and you get those 2 hours back. When 3 hours happens you just get an extra hour back. There is no benefit 3+ hours other than your 14 hour clock is paused.

I've done a 10 hour break waiting at the customer for my load and I was only there two hours before my appointment time.

Plenty of reefer customers also only do middle of the night stuff.

Watch the reefer light in your mirror. Double check temps. If you have a super cold load to pickup and it's summer time you better pre cool that trailer. It can take an entire day to get it down to - 10 in bad heat. Always top the reefer off. Don't be lazy. At least you're not tarping and strapping loads. Also don't skip the washout unless you're in the middle of no and where and can blow out sweep the trailer really good. Clean trailer and full of fuel is what every customer wants to see. Also if it stinks only some washouts have deodorizer.

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Feeling-Bowl-9533@reddit

Google split fmcsa guidelines. Their website has a great explanation as well as a section where you can play around with a log and see what’s legal

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mike-2129@reddit

Fill it you every time you fuel the truck. If it needs it or not. Always check and match the temp and cycle of the load. Keep a leaf blower on the truck. Saves time and money over a wash out. Make sure you have load locks or straps depending on trailer.

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BeenThruIt@reddit

Don't get fat.

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adidaman@reddit

Make sure you always go park next to the isolated truck in the back of the lot, even if there arec100 spots open. We love when reefers park right next to us

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Individual-Dark-5022@reddit

lol ur a dick but that was funny ngl

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copper_wing@reddit

I always make sure to idle my truck too :)

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CryptoguyV2@reddit (OP)

Will do 🫡 yall look lonely back there

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Feeling-Bowl-9533@reddit

Bring snacks and something to do other than your phone. It’ll get boring. Carry jumper cables. Keep your fuel full when going to a pickup or delivery, check your temp every time you stop driving even if you’re just peeing. Learn splits, and if you can try to work overnight. There is no reliable daytime schedule in reefer, but staying to a “normal” sleep schedule is possible if you’re running roughly 9pm to 9-11am. You can max out your drive hours better if you have a standard shift, if it moves around daily you’re losing time

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CaptianHuggyFace@reddit

I wish I stuck to dry van. These days I wouldnt touch a reefer unless I was the yard dog.

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CryptoguyV2@reddit (OP)

Why not?

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CaptianHuggyFace@reddit

Longest time I sat in the dock was 8 hrs. UNFI in Fort Wayne, IN. If you ever get that delivery, better come in with a fresh 14.

Side note. If its close to sub zero temps outside, leave your reefer on cycle even if empty.

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Ghostxteriors@reddit

Longest time for me was 4 hours. Said fuck this, found another load and left.

Flatbed rocks.

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CryptoguyV2@reddit (OP)

Thanks, the longest I ever waited doing dry van was 22 hours at the Georgia Pacific in Palatka, FL.

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