Reefer vs Dry Van: Which Pays Better for an Owner-Operator?

Reefer pays more per mile than dry van. That part is easy. The real question is whether it pays more after the reefer unit's fuel, the higher equipment cost, the tighter schedules and the longer waits at cold docks. Here's how the two compare on rates, costs and the work itself, so you can decide which trailer fits your business.

What each pays right now

The reefer premium was about 50 to 60 cents a mile this fall, and the September reefer average was a record for DAT's monthly series. The gap moves with the seasons. It tends to widen in produce season and narrow in the slow months. For the latest figures, see our monthly rate report.

What each costs to run

The tractor costs the same either way. The differences are in the trailer and what it takes to run it.

Price each of these for your own setup and add them to your cost per mile calculation. That's the only fair way to compare the two.

How the work is different

• Appointments. Reefer loads run on tight windows, and a late reefer delivery can be refused. Van has more loads with flexible windows.
• Temperature. You're responsible for running the setting on the rate confirmation and bill of lading, and for keeping records. Food loads also fall under the FDA's sanitary transportation rule.
• Waiting. Cold docks are slow docks. ATRI's 2024 detention study found refrigerated drivers were detained at 56.2% of stops, against 39.3% for all drivers. More detention also means more detention pay, if you collect it.
• Claims. A temperature problem can mean a rejected load and a large claim. Unit maintenance and documentation protect you.
• Flexibility. A reefer can haul dry freight when reefer loads are thin. A van can't haul refrigerated freight.

Seasons and freight volume

Dry van follows retail: steady most of the year, busiest from late summer through the holidays, quiet in January and February. Reefer follows produce in spring and summer, then shifts toward frozen food, dairy and beverages, with a holiday bump of its own. Reefer volume is more seasonal, which is part of why its rates swing more.

Reefer lanes also differ from van lanes. Produce moves out of growing regions on a seasonal schedule, and frozen and dairy freight runs between plants, cold storage and grocery distribution centers. A van carrier who knows their lanes well may need a few months to learn where reefer reloads are strong.

The net math

Here's a simple way to compare, using illustrative numbers. Say you run 2,400 loaded miles a week, and the reefer earns 50 cents more per loaded mile on linehaul:

Example figures only. Unit fuel, payments and insurance vary widely by equipment and season.

On paper, reefer often wins. But if the extra waiting costs you a load every couple of weeks, or detention goes uncollected, the gap shrinks fast. The carriers who do best in reefer are the ones who protect their schedule and get paid for the waiting.

Switching from dry van to reefer

If you run a van today and want to try reefer, plan the move like a new business, not a trailer swap.

1. Buy carefully. On a used reefer, the unit's hours and service records matter as much as the trailer. Have the unit inspected before you buy.
2. Update your insurance. Make sure the cargo policy covers refrigerated freight and reefer breakdown, and that the limits match what reefer brokers ask for.
3. Learn the unit. Know how to set continuous or cycle mode, pre-cool, read and download temperature records, and what to do on an alarm.
4. Build food-grade habits. Washouts, clean floors and seals, and documentation for the FDA's sanitary transportation rule.
5. Plan your first loads around your schedule. Pick appointments you can make with room to spare. Your on-time record is what gets you better reefer freight.
6. Budget for unit fuel and repairs. Set aside a reserve per week for the reefer unit, separate from your truck.

Many carriers keep the van mindset for a while by hauling dry freight in the reefer when the rate is right. It's a good way to keep the trailer earning while you learn reefer lanes.

Which is right for you?

Whichever you choose, the trailer only pays if it stays loaded on lanes you know. We dispatch both. See our dry van dispatch and reefer dispatch services, both at a flat 6% of the gross.