Dust off your C.B.'s, and lets ride ho
Yes, Ho's Tugboat is back, and it's time to ride.
It's been a minute since I've been able to blog about my love of the road. So without further ado.
Today's lesson? Trailers. Dry Van, Flat bed, and Reefer.
Before you get all besides yourself with thinking ol' tugboat is getting ready to fire up a doobie, settle down and let me explain a Reefer.
Did you ever wonder how ice cream made it to the stores without melting?
Yes ho's your ice cream is made all across the U.S. and getting it to the store is my job, along with perishables like fresh vegetables, meats (chicken, pork, and beef), and anything you find in your local grocer that needs refrigeration.
I pull a Reefer (refrigerated trailer). When I first began driving a truck, I had not a clue what a reefer was, or did. Have times changes though.
The reefer trailer is the coolest things ever. It is a temperature controlled trailer with a refrigeration unit powered by a small diesel engine at the front top end of it's trailer. See pix
If you ever pass a trailer with a small round tank in the center of the trailer. That would be the diesel for the Reefer unit.
These trailers are designed differently from other trailers, they have insulated walls and steel floors.
Anything can be hauled in these trailers, including dry freight. These units are extremely durable, and can hold temperatures inside at -20 easily. The diesel engine is a 4 cylinder design that is tough as nails. I'm amazed how they can build one of the engines to run for hours, and hours on end using about 1 gal of diesel for every ten hours. Why cant they build a car engine that durable?
Anyho, The unit has a small control panel that is used to set the temp, and the mode in which to run the unit. Modes can vary from Continuous, to cycle sentry. Continuous means the unit will run without shutting off, and maintaining whatever parameters are set. Cycle sentry allows the unit to shut on, and off while keeping the temp in range.
Continuous is used to haul vegetables, and product that is temperature sensitive.
From my 10 yrs of experience I can tell you that Strawberries are the most delicate. This fruit is a bitch to haul, they bruise easily and the temperature has to be maintained within a few degrees.
Bill, and I also haul hazard materials that need to be refrigerated or protected from the extreme heat or cold.
Examples of temp. settings for freight.
Lettuce, and strawberries are ran at 32-34 degrees.
Fresh meat products run at 25 degrees. Even though these products are ran below freezing, its unlikely they will freeze seeing the meat is still in a cooling process after slaughter.
MaryKay, and Revlon cosmetics run at 65 degrees. Did you know that (1) one load of cosmetics is usually our most expensive load. Yes, Ho's I've hauled what they call a million dollar load. Never did I know looking good cost so much.
Seafood loads pay the best, but have the largest damage claims. Shippers are very picky about there fish.
My favorite thing to haul is CHOCOLATE of any type, with Mars M&M's being at the top of the list.
The Fuel tanks are usually a 50 gallons variety, and on cycle sentry in mild weather this unit can run for a week easily.
After hauling certain loads, a driver is required to have the trailer washed out. The majority of companies require this seeing we are hauling food products, with most meat plants having there own washout docks.
So, ho's That a Reefer.
Only one time ever did I freak out while driving a truck. Right after Katrina, Bill and I delivered several empty Reefer trailers to Louisiana for use as temporary morgues, thank god the government bought and kept those too. I cant imagine using them again after that.
All together NOW
Let's Ride Ho
It's been a minute since I've been able to blog about my love of the road. So without further ado.
Today's lesson? Trailers. Dry Van, Flat bed, and Reefer.
Before you get all besides yourself with thinking ol' tugboat is getting ready to fire up a doobie, settle down and let me explain a Reefer.
Did you ever wonder how ice cream made it to the stores without melting?
Yes ho's your ice cream is made all across the U.S. and getting it to the store is my job, along with perishables like fresh vegetables, meats (chicken, pork, and beef), and anything you find in your local grocer that needs refrigeration.
I pull a Reefer (refrigerated trailer). When I first began driving a truck, I had not a clue what a reefer was, or did. Have times changes though.
The reefer trailer is the coolest things ever. It is a temperature controlled trailer with a refrigeration unit powered by a small diesel engine at the front top end of it's trailer. See pix
If you ever pass a trailer with a small round tank in the center of the trailer. That would be the diesel for the Reefer unit.
These trailers are designed differently from other trailers, they have insulated walls and steel floors.
Anything can be hauled in these trailers, including dry freight. These units are extremely durable, and can hold temperatures inside at -20 easily. The diesel engine is a 4 cylinder design that is tough as nails. I'm amazed how they can build one of the engines to run for hours, and hours on end using about 1 gal of diesel for every ten hours. Why cant they build a car engine that durable?
Anyho, The unit has a small control panel that is used to set the temp, and the mode in which to run the unit. Modes can vary from Continuous, to cycle sentry. Continuous means the unit will run without shutting off, and maintaining whatever parameters are set. Cycle sentry allows the unit to shut on, and off while keeping the temp in range.
Continuous is used to haul vegetables, and product that is temperature sensitive.
From my 10 yrs of experience I can tell you that Strawberries are the most delicate. This fruit is a bitch to haul, they bruise easily and the temperature has to be maintained within a few degrees.
Bill, and I also haul hazard materials that need to be refrigerated or protected from the extreme heat or cold.
Examples of temp. settings for freight.
Lettuce, and strawberries are ran at 32-34 degrees.
Fresh meat products run at 25 degrees. Even though these products are ran below freezing, its unlikely they will freeze seeing the meat is still in a cooling process after slaughter.
MaryKay, and Revlon cosmetics run at 65 degrees. Did you know that (1) one load of cosmetics is usually our most expensive load. Yes, Ho's I've hauled what they call a million dollar load. Never did I know looking good cost so much.
Seafood loads pay the best, but have the largest damage claims. Shippers are very picky about there fish.
My favorite thing to haul is CHOCOLATE of any type, with Mars M&M's being at the top of the list.
The Fuel tanks are usually a 50 gallons variety, and on cycle sentry in mild weather this unit can run for a week easily.
After hauling certain loads, a driver is required to have the trailer washed out. The majority of companies require this seeing we are hauling food products, with most meat plants having there own washout docks.
So, ho's That a Reefer.
Only one time ever did I freak out while driving a truck. Right after Katrina, Bill and I delivered several empty Reefer trailers to Louisiana for use as temporary morgues, thank god the government bought and kept those too. I cant imagine using them again after that.
All together NOW
Let's Ride Ho
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