You played that right taking the load to SC instead of FL, assuming you can get a decent run home. That's the kind of thinking that can turn a borderline trip into a decent one.

Apples slow down a little now and then pick up again this winter when they start shipping out of the cold storage to take advantage of winter pricing. However, like Diesel said, the rails are taking a big chunk of business this year.

I run the reefer on continuous on all produce. If you ever run start/stop on produce, apples are the one to do it on. I'm not recommending it, but if you want to, make absolutely sure they don't put a temp recorder in there. They usually don't with apples, but be sure.

A little word of advice on checking load densities for the next 6 weeks. Xmas trees are going to be starting up and brokers will be posting loads 3-6 weeks ahead of time. So, when you are looking for areas to go to, if you just look at load densities it will appear that there are tons of loads available, when 2/3 of those don't pick up for quite awhile. This will definitely be true for OR, MI, and NC and probably some other areas to a lesser extent. For an example check the density in OR and see all the loads posted by IDA-CO (I think that's the one). Then you'll know what you're looking at.

Make sure you go in with full tanks...they'll want to load you to the max on those apples.

 

Thanks no_worries. Believe me if there is a chance on ruining the freight to save a little I wouldn't do it. The broker said I could but I didn't trust that. Spoiled you say? but the broker said I didn't have to run it on continous. How dumb would that sound?

 

I used to haul reefers till a couple of summers ago, did a lot of Nogales,AZ to Quebec City, Quebec, Canada runs - grapes. They put in a temp recorder in back and asked that the temp should be in the 34-38 range. It could not get down to 32 or below cause the grapes would then freeze. I used to have the reefer on Start/Stop with the temperature set at 33. It used to always re-start before the temp got up to 38. By now you should know the start/stop cycle of your reefer and adjust accordingly. And in AZ in May/June, the black grape season in Mexico, the temp was well above 100 in the afternoons.

 

I can't blind back, and it's been over 4 years now!

 

Here is a good site for reefer info

http://www.kambleco.com/Ads_July_2006.shtml


I use these guys from time to time for reefer loads.

 

Is that all you've been driving Allan? You know an awful lof about the mechanics of these things.

Speaking of mechanics, I was wondering this whole trip out here it was freezing, am I suppose to put the reefer on some sort of temp watch thing so the batteries don't die?

I know it has something but since they didn't set it as a factory default it made me wonder?

I swear I'm done for the day with questions Man when I started with the Spanish and como se dice (how do you say) all day, EVERY DAY until I could speak it, some of them wanted to kill me :lol:

 

Thanks BigD. I like the looks of it already.

 

I've never had an issue with the reefer battery dying in the cold. However, I wouldn't pull a reefer without jumper cables that will span the two units. You can jump a reefer off your truck and, if need be, vice versa.

Diesel, how is Kamble to work with? I seem to have their shit together but I've never hauled for them so I don't know how their rates are.

 

Wow Merrick!
Just finished reading all the pages of your thread. What an adventure.
Sounds like you're doing well considering you're new at this.
Thanks for posting all the numbers and questions. I'm sure there are quite a few people who are benefiting from this valuable information.
I'd say don't feel ashamed to ask the dumb questions as you put it. There
are some really great guys on here helping you. I really commend all those who are helping you along. Even offering contacts on loads.
I'll enjoy reading along about your adventures as well as Steve's.
Thanks for the valuable info.
One question: You said you have a decent tractor, ex Covenant power. How did you come across this? Did you work for them? I might have missed something.
I'm still just running around Wisconsin here for a while.
Thanks, Steve