I am considering adding a lift gate to my reefer trailer. I am just wondering if there are owners out there that might be able to let me know if this is a good idea. This adds weight to gross combo to only alow me to scale around 37,000lbs max. I also have concerns that I may also loose some loads where customers won't allow lift gates on their docks due to dock locks. Just trying to add equipment that will allow me to add revenue to my bottom line. Thanks
Lift Gate?
- Thread starter bassasom1
- Start date
Talk to your CC and have them put you in contact with several T/T reefer trucjs that have a lift gate. Steve pulls a company trailer. I have heard it different ways on if the lift gate is worth it or not.
I would really suggest talking to more than one person as I have heard a lot of mixed reviews on if the lift gate is worth it on a T/T. I think it is really going to come down to you and the type of freight you like to haul.
We have had our Lift Gate on our straight truck for almost 4 years, we are not White Glove and we are not reefer. We have never had any trouble getting loaded or unloaded. One place could not even open their doors as they could not lock us to the dock. We had one pallet the fork lift driver came out a door and got the freight. No problem for them or for us. The lift gate has often put us in front of many trucks to get a load. Has it paid for itself on its own on what we get paid for lift gate use no it has not. We feel as if though it has helped us out so many times it paid for itself the first year we added it.
I would really suggest talking to more than one person as I have heard a lot of mixed reviews on if the lift gate is worth it on a T/T. I think it is really going to come down to you and the type of freight you like to haul.
We have had our Lift Gate on our straight truck for almost 4 years, we are not White Glove and we are not reefer. We have never had any trouble getting loaded or unloaded. One place could not even open their doors as they could not lock us to the dock. We had one pallet the fork lift driver came out a door and got the freight. No problem for them or for us. The lift gate has often put us in front of many trucks to get a load. Has it paid for itself on its own on what we get paid for lift gate use no it has not. We feel as if though it has helped us out so many times it paid for itself the first year we added it.
nightcreacher
Veteran Expediter
When I had my reefer there was no Tval,and at that time, Roberst Express soon to become FDCC,would pay us extra if we could do a print out of the temps.With out a lift gate all I could haul was 37000 # and that did cost me loads.From what I gather,there are some liftgate ER unit loads to be had,but most are DR units.The lift gate will help as far as some of the art work customers.If your runnning a reefer trailer with a hard wood floor,your trailer weight should already be around 20000#,now add the weight of the lift gate,and since you dont do many surface loads anyway,not being able to get locked to a dock,wont matter that much.
As I was saying before,there are certain times of year that the reefer will keep you very busy,other times you may wish you never bought it.As far as bottom line,I can compare my net income to anyone with a reefer trailer,that works the same amount of time.,but I have been here over 20 years.Aso,there some Dr units that do much better than the Er units
Last edited:
nightcreacher
Veteran Expediter
You cant compare the D unit lift gate and an E unit with the lift gate.D hauls 13000 lbs,with the tag axle, a D unit with the lift gate, can still haul the 13000 lbs and even if it were a reefer, it could still haul the 13000 lbs.An ER cant haul the weight that a dry box can,and add the weight of a lift gate,will make it even worst.
I was one of the first owners at Roberts to have a liftgate reefer.I still have the trailer. I use it for storage.It would get me a load every now and then. Once I was in southern Cal and they deadheaded me all the way back to Knoxville to Load back to texas, new mexico and Arizona with spinning machines for the Feds.One of my other trucks was in California with me when I deadheaded back to Knoxville. He loadeded the next day for Indy. When I got empty in Tucson I went to the Road runner truck stop and There sat Joe and Gracie(my other truck) at the fuel island.They had reloaded to San diego got empty and were reloaded to Atlanta.The bottom line was when they got to Atlanta they had worked 2 days more than me drove 1800 miles more than me,been off a total of 3 days in between loads and made 7800 dollars more than I did.I got a lot of loads with the lift gate but it always seemed like I had to deadhead a long way to get them.Has your carrier asked you to buy a liftgate trailer.Have they promised you a return on your investment.Can they give you a list of customers that require a liftgate trailer and most important how many loads have they booked in the last year.
No my company is not asking or suggesting that I invest in the lift gate. I am just trying to stay buisier. I figure that if in a 21 to 24 days cycle on the road at any one time that the lift gate might net me possibly 1 additional load possibly each month. Who knows, maybe I can work 12 or 13 or so days while I am out there with this new toy. I do ok with what I am doing now I am just trying to stay a little buisier in 09 than I did in 08. I know Panther Elite Services has these juisy hospital runs that have multiple stops stretching accrossed the country pay around $8 to $10,000. If that only happens once or twice a year that wouldn't be to bad if I can get a load like that at all.
The one gentlemen commented that he could purchase another truck instead of a reefer trailer and make far more money. Yes to a certain extent but when all the blanks are filled in on the pay summary for temp loads it looks real good at the bottom line.
The one gentlemen commented that he could purchase another truck instead of a reefer trailer and make far more money. Yes to a certain extent but when all the blanks are filled in on the pay summary for temp loads it looks real good at the bottom line.