Reefer loads for owner-operators

What reefer freight looks like

• Fresh produce from growing regions such as California’s Central Valley, Florida and the Texas Rio Grande Valley
• Meat, poultry and dairy
• Frozen food
• Flowers and plants
• Temperature-sensitive pharmaceuticals and chemicals

Finding reefer loads on GigFreight

1. Open the USA load board and set the equipment filter to “Reefer”.
2. Narrow by origin state and city, destination and pickup date.
3. Sort by rate or rate per mile, then add deadhead to your next pickup.
4. With a paid plan, contact the broker directly and agree the load.

• Open the USA load board

Filters to use for reefer loads

• Turn on “Refrigerated / Temp. controlled” or pick “Reefer” under “Vehicle / trailer type”; both show refrigerated freight.
• Use “Max weight” and “Max pallets” to match what your unit can scale with.
• Set “Destination city” toward your home base to line up the next load.
• Set “Posted within” to recent hours to see the newest loads first.

What sets the rate on a reefer load

Each reefer listing shows the posted rate and, where miles are given, the rate per mile. What moves it: the commodity and set temperature, multi-stop deliveries, time windows at the receiver, and whether the lane has return freight.

Count reefer unit fuel and any lumper fees as costs before comparing two loads on rate per mile alone.

Before you book

• Confirm the set temperature, whether it is continuous or cycle-sentry, and whether the trailer must be pre-cooled.
• Ask whether the load is driver-assist or no-touch, and about lumper fees at the receiver.
• Factor reefer unit fuel into your cost per mile.
• Produce lanes are seasonal, so search from your delivery area for the next load before you unload.

By pickup state

• California
• Texas
• Florida
• Illinois
• Georgia
• New York
• Washington

What it costs

Frequently asked questions