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Reefer loads: where to find them and who will set you up
Updated
Reefer loads come from the brokers in the table below, broker apps and boards with reefer-only plans. C.H. Robinson, whose Navisphere Carrier app lists reefers, has the shortest published wait at seven days, and Averitt the longest at 365 days. Uber Freight, Werner and Bridgeway each publish a rule on reefer breakdown.
At a glance
- Published waits
- 7 days at C.H. Robinson to 365 days at Averitt
- Uber Freight cargo rule
- No exclusion for reefer breakdown or lack of reefer fuel
- Reefer dispatch, one published price
- 5% per load or $275 per truck per week
Brokers and programs that load reefers
| Broker or program | Authority age | Liability | Cargo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transportation One Freight broker |
Three months | $1 million | $100,000 |
| Amazon Relay Load program |
180 days | $1 million | $100,000 |
| Circle Logistics Freight broker |
$1 million | $100,000 | |
| J.B. Hunt Load program |
$750,000 (the federal minimum) | No set minimum |
Load boards that list reefers
| Board or app | Price |
|---|---|
| Amazon Relay | No subscription fee or cost to join |
| DAT One | $59 a month |
| Direct Freight | $39 a month |
| J.B. Hunt Carrier 360 | The Carrier 360 app is listed as free |
| TruckLoads by Trucker Path | Unlimited load access is advertised as free |
| Truckstop | $42 a month per user, up to three users |
| Uber Freight | $0 to download |
What a reefer needs to haul for hire
| Rule | For a reefer |
|---|---|
| USDOT number | Needed at 10,001 lb or more in interstate commerce. The weight is the greatest of GVWR, GCWR or actual weight. Placardable hazmat triggers commercial motor vehicle status at any weight. |
| CDL | Refrigeration adds no CDL class, so the usual Class A and B weights apply. A tractor with a refrigerated semitrailer is Class A at 26,001 lb combined with a trailer over 10,000 lb. A refrigerated straight truck uses the single-vehicle Class B line at 26,001 lb while a lighter nonhazardous straight unit can be non-CDL. |
| Medical card | Drivers need medical certification at 10,001 lb or more in interstate commerce. Certification and carrying the paper card are separate. CDL and CLP drivers have an exception from carrying the card, while non-CDL drivers generally carry the certificate. |
| Operating authority | Hauling regulated freight for hire in interstate commerce needs your own MC authority. No 26,001 lb exemption applies to a for-hire carrier moving federally regulated property that belongs to others. Private carriage, exclusively exempt commodities and exclusively exempt commercial-zone operations follow different rules. |
| Insurance minimum | $750,000 public liability at 10,001 lb GVWR or more. That is the interstate for-hire minimum for nonhazardous freight and it is not a cargo limit. Hazardous cargo has its own schedule of limits. |
| UCR | Interstate carriers register every year, whether for hire, private or exempt. UCR is separate from MC authority and vehicle plates. Solely intrastate carriers are excluded. |
| IFTA and IRP | Applies over 26,000 lb or at three or more power-unit axles in two or more jurisdictions. The weight line is over 26,000 lb for a two-axle power unit or a combination, with only power-unit axles counting toward the three. Occasional travel may use fuel trip permits instead of IFTA while IRP restricted plates and other exceptions need base-state review. |
| Heavy vehicle use tax | Form 2290 applies at a taxable gross weight of 55,000 lb or more. Taxable weight includes the equipped vehicle, the customarily used trailer and the maximum customary load, with state registration rules affecting the calculation. Expected use of 5,000 miles or less (7,500 miles for agricultural use) can suspend the tax, but you still file. |
| Hours of service and ELD | Applies at 10,001 lb or more in interstate commerce. Drivers who must keep records of duty status use an ELD. Paper logs are allowed when records are needed on no more than 8 days in any rolling 30 days or the vehicle model year is before 2000. |
| Food transport | FDA sanitary transport rules apply to covered food loads. Where a carrier agrees to sanitary responsibilities, FDA requires appropriate personnel training and temperature controls that match the shipment. Exclusions and waivers exist, so not every food load is covered the same way. |
Where reefer loads come from
Broker apps
Navisphere Carrier, Carrier 360, Beon Carrier and the Uber Freight app list reefers. Beon's reefer listing reflects the freight NTG covers, so it doesn't guarantee reefer loads in the app.
Reefer carriers pay nothing to get these apps: Navisphere, Carrier 360 and Beon list $0 a month, and Uber Freight's app is a free download. Booking opens only after each company approves your setup, and Uber Freight adds an authorized driver requirement.
Amazon Relay
Amazon Relay lists 53 ft reefers and pays weekly.
Brokers
Prime Inc. Brokerage names refrigerated loads on its own page and pays weekly. One reefer owner on the forums reported that some of their best-paying loads came through TQL.
Paid load boards
Truckstop sells reefer-only plans, and DAT's rate table covers reefer, with 15-day rate averages on its Enhanced plan and seven-day averages on Pro.
DAT lets each broker attach a minimum authority age to a reefer post, and Truckstop's Authority Age Filter shows only the posts that take an authority your age.
Reefer breakdown on your cargo policy
Some brokers check the terms of your cargo policy as well as its dollar limit, so read yours before you book:
- Uber Freight's cargo insurance can't exclude reefer breakdown or running out of reefer fuel, or carry restrictions that would block a cargo claim.
- Werner wants breakdown of the refrigeration unit included in your cargo insurance where it applies.
- Bridgeway allows no exclusion for breakdown of cooling or heating equipment.
- Flock Freight wants the breakdown deductible listed separately on your COI.
A certificate that shows only $100,000 in cargo doesn't tell a broker whether breakdown is covered, so ask your agent to show it. The reefer breakdown coverage guide has more.
For trailer coverage, Bison Transport asks for $75,000 in non-owned trailer interchange for reefer.
Check a load's coverage first. The "what does this load need" tool shows the coverage and paperwork a broker publishes next to the federal rules for your truck. What does this load need
Straight reefer trucks
A refrigerated straight truck follows the same 26,000 lb non-CDL line as a box truck, by rating and by loaded weight, since refrigeration adds no CDL class. See box truck loads.
Working with a dispatcher
Even a dispatcher promising guaranteed freight books you under your own MC, insurance and cargo policy.
One dispatch service publishes 5% per load or $275 a week per truck for reefers. Before you sign, ask whether the 5% comes off the full rate or the rate less fuel surcharge, and what an idle week costs.
Pay no deposit, and keep your passwords and broker accounts to yourself. Compare other dispatch fees in the truck dispatcher guide.
Deadhead and cost per mile
Count deadhead before you trust a gross revenue post, and plan the return lane before you accept the outbound load. Use $6.179 a gallon, the U.S. diesel average for the week of October 12, 2026, when you price the empty miles. The startup cost estimator turns your loaded and empty miles, miles per gallon, insurance and truck payment into a cost per mile, before maintenance, tires, tolls and your own pay.
Frequently asked questions
What reefer breakdown coverage do brokers ask for?
Uber Freight's cargo insurance can't exclude reefer breakdown or running out of reefer fuel, and Werner wants breakdown of the refrigeration unit included where it applies. Flock Freight wants the breakdown deductible listed separately on your COI.
Is $100,000 in cargo coverage enough for reefer loads?
On its own, a certificate showing $100,000 in cargo doesn't tell a broker whether breakdown is covered. Ask your agent to show the breakdown terms.
Which brokers take new reefer carriers?
C.H. Robinson considers carriers after seven days of active MC authority, and its Navisphere Carrier app lists reefers. Averitt wants 365 days.
Do I need a CDL for a reefer straight truck?
The refrigeration unit adds no CDL class, so a reefer straight truck uses the same 26,000 lb non-CDL line as a box truck. That line applies by rating and by loaded weight.
How much does a reefer dispatcher charge?
One dispatch service publishes 5% per load or $275 a week per truck for reefers.