ENTRY 01 / REEFER DISPATCH
Reefer dispatch that prices in the unit, not just the truck
A reefer costs more to run than a van and carries more risk: setpoints, pulp temps, tight appointments and long holds at cold storage. Our reefer dispatch starts with what your unit actually costs, then checks every load for the things that turn a good reefer rate into a bad week. Every rate con still comes to you to sign or refuse.
- 5% of gross
- Setpoint checked first
- You sign every load
National reefer average in August 2026: about $3.38 a mile all-in, against $2.89 for vans (DAT).
ENTRY 02 / REEFER COST GAUGE
What your reefer unit adds to every mile
Most cost-per-mile numbers stop at the tractor. A reefer burns fuel while you wait at a dock, and the unit needs its own maintenance. Put your numbers in and see the minimum rate that covers both, next to the national average.
Your minimum reefer rate
NATIONAL REEFER AVERAGE $3.38/mi ALL-IN · AUGUST 2026
The reefer adds $0.15/mi to your cost per mile at these numbers, so your all-in cost is $1.35/mi and your minimum, with margin, is $1.95/mi. That sits under the national average, leaving room to push for better loads.
For the tractor side of the number, the trucking cost per mile calculator builds it from your payment, insurance, fuel and repairs. Add the reefer on top and you have the floor we dispatch to.
ENTRY 03 / MARKET RANGE
Refrigerated truck dispatch rates move with the season
DAT reported a national reefer line-haul average of $2.61 a mile in August 2026, plus an average fuel surcharge of 77 cents. National averages hide big swings: produce season pulls reefers toward growing regions in spring and summer, holidays lift food volume, and some outbound markets pay well while the trip back pays little.
SOURCE: DAT NATIONAL AVERAGES, AUGUST 2026, PUBLISHED SEPT 15, 2026
Outbound strength, weak backhauls. Produce regions can pay strongly going out and very little coming back. We look at the backhaul before you accept the outbound, so the round trip clears your floor, not just the first leg.
Dry freight in a reefer. When reefer freight is thin, hauling dry freight in a reefer can keep the truck moving. It usually pays van rates, so we only offer it when it beats sitting or deadheading.
Frozen vs fresh. Frozen loads tend to run tighter temperature rules; fresh produce brings pulp temps and inspections. Both are fine to haul when the terms are clear before you sign.
ENTRY 04 / WHAT WE CHECK
Before the reefer rate con hits your phone
Most reefer claims and lost days start with a detail nobody confirmed. A reefer dispatcher's job is to confirm them before you are committed, not after the load is rejected at the dock.
- Setpoint and mode. The exact temperature and whether the unit runs continuous or cycle-sentry. It must be on the rate con and the BOL.
- Pulp temps and pre-cool. Whether you must pre-cool, and how pulp temperatures are checked and recorded at pickup.
- Appointments. Pickup and delivery windows, and what happens if a shipper loads you late.
- Multi-stop. Every stop, its window and its pay. Extra stops on a reefer load add dock time with the unit running.
- Lumpers. Who pays at the dock and how you get it back.
- Detention and layover. Free time, hourly rate and proof required, because reefer loads sit.
- Temperature records. Whether the broker wants a download from the unit at delivery.
If a term is missing or unclear, we get it fixed with the broker before the rate con is sent to you. If it can't be fixed, you hear about it in plain words so you can decide, and you are always free to say no.
Reefer freight we book, and what each kind asks of you
Fresh produce
Seasonal and regional, with pulp temps at pickup, inspections and sheds that load late. Strong outbound rates in season; plan the backhaul first.
Meat and protein
Tight temperatures, plant appointments and heavy loads. Scale before you roll and keep your temperature records clean.
Dairy and eggs
Short shelf life and strict delivery windows to grocery DCs. Lumpers are common at delivery.
Frozen foods
Low setpoints and continuous mode. Cold storage warehouses can hold trucks for hours, so detention terms matter.
Temperature-controlled consumer goods
Products like beverages, candy or personal care items that ship protect-from-freeze or chilled in some seasons.
Dry freight in a reefer
Van freight hauled in a reefer to avoid an empty trip. Usually van rates; worth it when it beats deadheading.
Why reefer owners hire a reefer dispatcher
The rate hides the dock time
A strong reefer rate with an eight-hour hold at a produce shed can pay less per hour than a lower dry load.
The backhaul decides the trip
Reefer money is made or lost on the way back, and finding a good backhaul takes calls you can't make while driving.
Claims are expensive
A wrong setpoint or a missing pulp temp record can turn into a rejected load. Confirming terms first is cheaper than arguing later.
Nights and weekends
Reefer freight moves around the clock. A desk staffed nights and weekends catches loads that post after hours.
What we need to dispatch your reefer
Your MC and DOT number, a certificate of insurance, a signed W-9, your unit make and whether it can download temperature records, your trailer length, your ELD provider, and your notice of assignment if you factor. Check your cargo policy for reefer breakdown coverage and its limits; many food shippers and brokers ask about both before they tender a load.
Home time works the same as with any truck: give us your home base and days, and we plan the reefer loop backward from them. Reefer freight that loads late on a Thursday can wreck a weekend, so we watch pickup times closely near the end of the week.
On the first call we set your floor with the reefer costs included, your lanes and home days, and any products you won't haul. Then every reefer load reaches you as a rate con to sign or refuse.
ENTRY 05 / REEFER QUESTIONS
Reefer dispatch questions
Q01How much does reefer dispatch cost?
5% of the gross on loads you haul with one truck and an MC older than 6 months, the same as every other equipment type. 7% while your MC is under 6 months, 4% for two or more trucks. No setup fee, no minimum, month to month with 30 days notice.
Q02Do reefer loads pay more than dry van?
On average, yes. In August 2026, DAT's national averages were about $3.38 a mile all-in for reefers and $2.89 for vans. But a reefer also costs more to run: unit fuel, unit maintenance and more time at docks. Compare the margin, not just the rate.
Q03Who pays lumper fees?
Usually the receiver, through the broker, but the driver often pays at the dock and is reimbursed. Grocery and produce receivers use lumpers a lot. Before you sign, the rate con should say who pays, how you get reimbursed and what receipt the broker wants.
Q04How do you handle detention on reefer loads?
Reefer loads sit longer than most: produce sheds, cold storage and grocery DCs run on tight, often late schedules. We get free time and the detention rate on the rate con, log the in and out times, and send the claim with the paperwork. The unit keeps running while you wait, so detention matters more here.
Q05Can a new MC get reefer loads?
Yes, though it is harder than dry van in the first months. Many reefer brokers want history, temperature download capability and higher cargo insurance limits for food loads. We start with brokers that book new reefer carriers and plan around what your insurance covers.
The fee on a reefer week
The reefer pays the same tier as every other truck: 5% of gross with one truck and an MC past six months, 7% while the MC is newer, 4% for two or more trucks. On an EXAMPLE $7,000 reefer week, that is $350 at the standard rate. Detention we claim goes into the gross and shows on the weekly report. Nothing is charged on a load you decline. Full terms on the dispatch pricing page.
Reefer loads that clear your floor, unit and all
Apply in about a minute. We start from your truck and unit costs, and every reefer rate con lands in your inbox for you to sign or refuse.
Truck cost/mi · EXAMPLE
With reefer · EXAMPLE
Reefer avg · EXAMPLE