Reefer

A reefer looks like a dry van with a refrigeration unit on the nose. The unit keeps the trailer at a set point, anywhere from deep frozen to a cool 55 degrees for produce, and can run continuously or cycle to save fuel. The set point, the mode, and whether the trailer must be pre-cooled before loading all belong on the rate confirmation, because getting them wrong ruins the load.

What a broker adds to a reefer rate confirmation: the required temperature and tolerance, continuous or cycle operation, pre-cool instructions, whether pulp temperatures will be taken at loading and delivery, and the reefer’s download requirement in case of a claim. Reefer rates run higher than van to cover the fuel the unit burns and the equipment cost, and reefer TONU and layover fees are higher too, because a cancelled reefer load often means a pre-cooled trailer and a wasted day.

Claims on reefer freight turn on temperature records: the unit’s download shows the set point and the actual temperature over time, and a receiver rejecting a load as warm has to be answered with that log. Reefers can also run as dry vans when van capacity is short, which is why a “reefer van” load appears on load boards at a van rate.