Reefer rate basics
A dispatch guide to temperature-controlled load factors carriers should price into decisions, focused on equipment requirements, facility details, accessorial exposure, and usable written instructions.
Written and reviewed by LaneMath Editorial Team. Updated 2026-06-08. LaneMath pages are maintained as practical carrier education using public references, example-only math, and internal editorial review.
Key takeaways
- Confirm temperature range, continuous run, washout, pulp checks, and reefer fuel handling.
- Watch strict appointment windows and rejection risk.
- Keep temperature and seal records according to load instructions.
Equipment fit is part of the rate
Equipment details can turn a normal load into a very different workday. The useful focus here is temperature-controlled load factors carriers should price into decisions, plus the written instructions for weight, handling, temperature, tarping, securement, appointments, and facility rules.
If one important detail is still verbal, treat that detail as unresolved. A short written reply or revised confirmation is easier to use than a remembered phone call.
Equipment and facility checks
Confirm temperature range, continuous run, washout, pulp checks, and reefer fuel handling. Confirm equipment, weight, handling, facility rules, and special instructions. Ask whether extra labor, temperature control, tarping, or permits are included. Price the workday, not only the posted miles. Also confirm commodity, weight, equipment, appointment type, facility rules, and whether any accessorial requires prior approval.
A good review leaves a short trail: what is confirmed, what is estimated, and what still needs a broker reply before dispatch.
Operating note
Reefer freight adds temperature and product-integrity questions to the normal rate review. Confirm set point, continuous run, pre-cool, washout, pulp checks, seal rules, and rejection procedures. The carrier should also ask how reefer fuel and delay time are handled if the unit must run longer because of facility dwell. A strong reefer load is not only a higher gross number; it is a load with clear instructions and usable records.
Questions for the broker or shipper
Confirm the physical work before accepting the number. A load can look simple until the shipper adds tarps, driver assist, strict temperature handling, or a receiver rule that changes the day.
Ask for special requirements in writing.
Equipment assumptions that cost time
The common miss is saying yes to a familiar equipment label while ignoring the shipment details. A dry van, reefer, or flatbed load can each carry special requirements that change time and risk.
The label is only the start.
Trip records to keep
Save the details that prove the truck did the service that was requested: trailer requirements, facility instructions, handling notes, approvals, and delivery paperwork.
Those records matter most when extra work was not obvious from the original posting.
Example scenario
Example scenario: two loads pay similar money, but one requires extra handling and a tight receiver window. The better choice depends on whether the added work is included, approved, and realistic for the driver and equipment. Replace any sample number or assumption with your actual rate, route, fuel, tolls, accessorial terms, equipment requirements, and payment setup.
What to check before booking
- Confirm temperature range, continuous run, washout, pulp checks, and reefer fuel handling.
- Confirm equipment, weight, handling, facility rules, and special instructions.
- Ask whether extra labor, temperature control, tarping, or permits are included.
- Price the workday, not only the posted miles.
Common questions
What extra checks does reefer freight require before booking?
Confirm temperature set point, continuous-run or cycle-sentry setting, pre-cool requirement, pulp check procedures if applicable, washout or prior-load compatibility, and what the receiver's rejection process looks like. Also confirm how reefer fuel is handled if facility dwell extends the unit run.
Does reefer freight always pay more than dry van?
Not always. Reefer typically commands a premium because of equipment cost, temperature compliance risk, and appointment sensitivity. However, a poorly documented reefer load with a strict receiver that rejects on temperature can turn a higher gross into a net loss. Rate comparison should include compliance risk, not just posted gross.
References and methodology
- Industry terminology and editorial explanation - LaneMath Editorial Desk. Editorial explanations are not official guidance, legal advice, or market data.