Reefer dispatch that settles the cold-chain details before you say yes
Reefer dispatch is more than finding a load that pays. Refrigerated freight pays more because it carries more risk: temperature claims, rejections at the dock, lumpers, long waits at cold storage and the fuel your unit burns. We book reefer loads with those costs settled on the rate con, and the reload planned before you deliver.
5% of gross for one truck, no contract, and you approve every load.
What do you run?
Nine things that decide whether a reefer load gets paid
Most reefer claims start before the truck leaves the shipper. Tick each item you'd have covered on your last load and watch the risk gauge close. Two items are federal rules for carriers hauling food that needs temperature control. The rest are the habits our dispatchers check for on every reefer offer.
Claim risk gauge
0% closed
9 open items. Each one is a place a rejection or claim can start.
Source:21 CFR 1.908, FDA sanitary transportation requirements for carriers · checked 2026-10(pre-cooling and showing temperature records on request)
Why this sits at the top of a dispatch page: the best rate in the market is worth nothing if the load gets rejected for temperature, and the carrier usually carries that risk. When we book a reefer load, the temperature instructions, the lumper terms and the appointment are part of the offer, so you can spot a problem before you commit the truck.
We can't set your unit or check product temperature for you. What we can do is make sure every instruction is in writing, every term is on the rate con, and the broker hears from us early if anything looks off at pickup.
Where reefer rates sit right now
National averages for spot reefer freight, broker to carrier, from DAT for one week. Your lane, season and product can put you well above or below them.
- Reefer spot, incl. fuel
- $3.54/mi
- Reefer linehaul only
- $2.74/mi
- Reefer load-to-truck ratio
- 21.5
Source:DAT truckload spot market data, Aug 30-Sept 5, 2026 (week 36) · checked 2026-10
Reefer rates move with harvests and holidays more than van rates do. When a growing region ramps up, outbound reefer capacity gets tight there and rates climb. When it winds down, the same lane can go soft within weeks. A dispatcher earns the fee by knowing which way a lane is heading, not just where it is today.
Remember the reefer fuel when you compare offers. Your unit burns fuel the tractor doesn't, so the same rate per mile is worth less on a reefer than on a dry van. The trip fuel cost calculator handles the tractor side; add your unit's burn on top.
The reefer freight we book, and what each one asks of you
Every refrigerated commodity has its own catch. We match the freight to your unit, your trailer and how you like to run.
- Produce
- Seasonal and regional, with tight pickup windows at sheds and coolers. Pays well in season, but slow loading and rejections at delivery are the risks to manage.
- Meat and poultry
- Heavy, cold and appointment-driven. Strict temperature and clean-trailer rules. Plants run on schedules, so being on time matters as much as the rate.
- Dairy and eggs
- Steady freight with firm temperature ranges. Often regional runs to grocery DCs with lumpers at the receiving end.
- Frozen food
- Deep set points and long hauls. Reefer fuel and unit reliability matter most here, because a unit failure on frozen product is expensive fast.
- Beverages and candy
- Some need protect-from-freeze in winter or cooling in summer. Often heavy, often grocery DCs.
- Dry freight in a reefer
- When the reefer lanes are thin, dry loads can keep a reefer moving home. Lower rates, but sometimes better than a long empty run.
Pharmaceutical and other high-value temperature freight usually needs extra insurance, specific equipment records and broker approval. We only offer it to carriers who already qualify. For the equipment side, our reefer trailer guide covers units, airflow and record keeping.
One reefer load: who does what, step by step
A reefer load has more moving parts than a van load. Here's how the work splits between the desk and the cab on every trip we book.
| Step | What we do | What you do |
|---|---|---|
| Offer | Send lane, miles, rate, set temperature, mode, lumper and detention terms. | Say yes or no. Ask about anything unclear first. |
| Rate con | Confirm the terms with the broker before it's issued. | Read it when it lands in your inbox and sign it. |
| Before pickup | Send pickup number, appointment, temperature and any shipper rules. | Pre-cool to the shipper's spec and check reefer fuel. |
| At the shipper | Log your arrival and warn the broker early if loading runs long. | Check product temperature, note anything warm on the BOL, record the seal. |
| In transit | Answer the broker's check calls and tracking requests. | Watch the unit and reefer fuel. Call us the moment the unit alarms. |
| At the receiver | Log arrival, start the detention clock past free time, confirm lumper payment. | Get the lumper receipt and a signed delivery receipt with any exceptions noted. |
| Paperwork | Send POD and receipts to the broker or your factoring company. | Keep the unit's temperature download in case anyone asks. |
The split matters because a claim usually turns on one missing note or one late phone call. When the desk and the driver each own their half, the paperwork backs you up if a receiver says the product arrived warm.
If the unit fails on the road, call us before you do anything else. We tell the broker right away, help you find the nearest repair option on your route, and work on saving both the product and the delivery appointment. A broker who hears about a failing unit early has options. One who hears at the receiver doesn't.
Temperature, lumper and appointment, all on the offer
Every reefer offer shows the lane, miles, rate, pickup window, set temperature and lumper terms. You decide with all of it in view. If you book it, the broker sends the rate confirmation straight to you. If you pass, there's no penalty and no argument.
Load offer / Reefer
Salinas, CA to Denver, CO
- Miles
- 1,240
- Rate
- $3,600
- Per mile
- $2.90
On the rate con: set 34 F, continuous, lumper reimbursed with receipt
Pickup: Tue 04:00-09:00
Nothing is booked until you say so. You see the lane, the miles, the rate and every extra before anyone commits your truck.
Lumpers, detention and reefer fuel: settled before you book
These three costs are where reefer carriers lose the most money without noticing. Each one has a plain rule on our desk.
Lumpers
Many grocery and food DCs use lumpers to unload. Before you book, we confirm who pays, how much, and how you get reimbursed: cash with a receipt, a payment check from the broker, or direct billing. A lumper bill should never quietly come out of your rate.
Detention
Cold storage and food receivers are some of the slowest docks in trucking. Free time and the detention rate go on the rate con before booking, and we tell the broker when the clock passes free time, while you're still at the dock.
Reefer fuel
Your unit burns fuel on every load, and long waits burn more of it. We factor it into whether a load is worth offering, and if you factor invoices, a fuel advance can cover it at pickup.
- Load rate
- $3,600
- Lumper paid
- $300
- Lumper reimbursed
- $300
- Fee at 5%
- $180
- Detention
- 3 h x $50 = $150
- Fee on detention
- $7.5
How the reefer year changes your loads
Harvest seasons
Produce volume moves around the country through the year as different growing regions come into season. Outbound reefer demand rises where the harvest is and drops where it ended. We plan your lanes around where the freight is heading next.
Summer heat
Hot weather works your unit harder and burns more reefer fuel, and some products that ride dry in spring need cooling. Long dock waits in summer cost more than the same wait in winter.
Winter cold
Some freight that normally rides in a dry van needs protection from freezing in winter, which puts reefers on lanes they don't usually see. Mountain routes and chain laws also shape which loads we offer you.
5% of gross on loads you haul
Reefer dispatch is 5% of load revenue for one truck with an MC older than 6 months. Fleets of 2 or more reefers pay 4%, and new authorities pay 7% until month 6, when the rate drops on its own. No setup fee, no minimums, month-to-month with 30 days notice to cancel. The full breakdown is on the dispatch pricing page.
To see what a reefer load leaves you after fuel, unit fuel and the fee, run it through the load profitability calculator. A high rate with a long unload and a dead-end delivery can earn less than a modest rate that reloads the same day.
Starting a new reefer authority
Brokers vet new reefer carriers harder than new van carriers, because a single temperature claim can cost more than the load paid. Expect these questions.
- Cargo insurance limits
- Brokers check the cargo limit and often ask whether the policy covers reefer breakdown. A policy that excludes it can lock you out of reefer loads.
- Unit records
- Some shippers want proof the unit can hold temperature and that you can download its temperature history.
- Food-grade trailer
- A clean, odor-free trailer with written cleaning procedures, since carriers hauling temperature-controlled food need them.
- Time in business
- Some brokers won't load an MC under a set age. We focus your early weeks on the ones that will.
Our plan for the first six months is on dispatch for new authority. Get your insurance agent to confirm reefer breakdown coverage in writing before your first setup, because it's the question that stops the most new reefer carriers.
Reefer dispatch questions
Note 01How much does reefer dispatch cost?
For one reefer with an MC older than 6 months it's 5% of the load's gross, charged only on loads you haul. New MCs pay 7% until month 6, and fleets of 2 or more trucks pay 4%. Reimbursed lumper fees aren't part of the fee base. No setup fee, no minimums, month-to-month.
Note 02Who pays for lumpers on reefer loads?
Usually the broker or shipper, through you: you pay the lumper at the dock and get reimbursed with the receipt, or the broker pays it directly through a payment service. Either way, the terms need to be on the rate con before you book. We settle that up front so a lumper bill never comes out of your rate.
Note 03Will you book dry freight in my reefer?
If you want us to, yes. Dry loads usually pay less than refrigerated freight, but a dry load heading toward home or toward a strong reefer market can beat running empty. We'll show you both options and the math, and you decide. Some carriers never want dry freight, and that goes in your notes.
Note 04Can a new MC get reefer loads?
Yes, though brokers vet new reefer carriers carefully because temperature claims are costly. They'll look at your cargo insurance, including whether it covers reefer breakdown. The first weeks focus on brokers that set up new authorities. New MCs pay 7% until month 6, then the standard rate automatically.
Note 05How do you handle a rejected reefer load?
First we get the facts from you: temperatures, times, photos and what the receiver says is wrong. Then we work with the broker on the next step, which can be a re-inspection, a re-delivery or a salvage plan. Clean records from pickup, like a noted product temperature and the unit download, are what protect you here.
Send your reefer details. Get offers with the cold-chain terms settled.
You approve every load. The rate con comes straight to you.