RE: Anyone have a good recommendation for reefer i
Well! well!, MrGoodTude! Your'e certainly getting your fill of reefer advice aren't you? I think that's great. Most reefer opinions in the expediting industry are represented here. This thread is worthy of several re-readings and careful thought.
My wife and I have been on the road about 15 months now. We entered the field with no previous truck driving experience. We've been running in fleet owner trucks since we started, one with a reefer, one without, and one with a reefer that failed and the owner did not fix. In other words, we've run in different trucks with and without reefers, and in the same truck with and without a reefer.
Based on that experience, we would not think of buying a new truck that did not also have a new reefer and reefer body.
That said, if we were with any other carrier than FedEx Custom Critical, and if we were not White Glove drivers, we'd almost certainly go with a dry box (non-reefer) truck.
The White Glove driver friends we talk to on an ongoing basis have good reefer news to share. The short story is FedEx CC is doing a land office business right now in reefer freight, and that is expected to continue. FedEx CC has way more reefer freight to haul than they have trucks to haul it. They've anticipated the new temperature validation trends and positioned themselves so well that it will be very difficult for competitors to nibble into this lucrative sector. Temperature validated loads command significantly higher tarrifs.
We cannot wait to get into our new truck partly because we cannot wait to ride the gravy train FedEx has created in White Glove reefer freight. We know our past reefer numbers. We know our new reefer costs. While we're in a dry box truck now, we know how our White Glove reefer-equipped friends are doing. There is no doubt in our minds that our reefer investment will pay itself off and produce handsome profits in relatively short order. But again, if we were not with FedEx CC White Glove, we would be reluctant to buy a reefer truck. The other carriers simply don't have the reefer freight FedEx CC has.
You spoke about your committment to the endeavor. That's outstanding. you'll need it to succeed with White Glove reefer freight. The loads often invlove long, long, long deadheads. You're paid well for it, but if you have an attitude about deadhead, you could talk yourself out of a good opportunity. Reefer loads can take control of your life at times too. For example, we once hauled a load to a location to be delivered. Once there, and before we unloaded, the consignee decided he wanted to keep the stuff cool in our truck for the day and unload it later. He was happy to pay detention time to do so.
"Oh goodie!" we thought. "D-time!" On that load, and because the fleet owner got 40%, D-time amounted to little money and a lost day where we could have been hauling other freight. "Oh goodie!" indeed. So what does a COMMITTED driver do? You smile, thank the consignee for his additional business, and pass time in the truck. Committent is not always about driving hard. As often as not, it's about bitting your tounge and putting your customer's interests ahead of your own.
Your signature line hints at the presence of a cat in your lives (if I read between the lines correctly). FedEx Custom Critical White Glove Services(r) prohibits pets in White Glove trucks (pets are OK in non-White Glove trucks). Are you committed enough to give up your pet(s)? If your pets are more important (and they truly are for many people), you may want to rethink your reefer desires.
Don't even think about trying to sneak a cat into your truck once your on with FedEx. It will only be a matter of time before a shipper complains or another driver spots the cat and turns you in. I guess the taddlers figure if they can't have Fluffy along for the ride, why can you? Or perhaps some figure if they don't have pets and are trying to get into White Glove, it's not fair for people in White Glove to have pets. By turning you in, their chances of getting into a White Glove slot are that much better.
Finally, If you come to FedEx with a new reefer truck, it will be much easier to get into White Glove than with a dry box.
If you have not already done so, you should contact a FedEx recruiter and visit with him or her about this thread line by line.
You've asked great reefer questions and received some excellent responses. I wish you well in your new endeavor and trust you've gained enough here to make the reefer decision that is right for you.
