Refrigerated Trucks 101
Exploring Refrigerated Trucking
Have you ever wondered how your favorite dairy products and meats make it from the farm to your local grocery store? Well, it turns out that special trucks, called refrigerated trucks or “reefers,” play a crucial role in transporting perishable foods. In this blog post, we’ll dive into the cool world of reefer trucks, learn about the special license needed to drive them, and discover how these trucks are different from regular ones.
Reefer Trucks: The Chilled Champs of Transportation
Refrigerated trucks, or reefers, are like superheroes for our food! They’re responsible for carrying items that need to stay cold, like dairy products and meats, as well as cold-storage chemicals. Imagine a big icebox on wheels, making sure our food stays fresh and tasty during the journey from the farm to your plate.
Getting Behind the Wheel: Special License Needed
If you dream of becoming a reefer truck driver, there’s a special license you’ll need to add to your toolkit – it’s called a commercial driver’s license (CDL) with a reefer endorsement. Think of it as your superhero cape for driving these special trucks. This endorsement shows that you’ve got the skills to handle the unique challenges of keeping things cool on the road.
Heavy Loads and Extra Weight Matters
One important thing to know about refrigerated trucks is that they weigh more than regular trucks. It’s like carrying an extra load of ice around! This means that after picking up heavy loads, drivers might exceed the Department of Transportation (DOT) gross weight restrictions. It’s a bit like a puzzle for drivers to figure out how much they can carry without going over the limit.
Adapting to the Temperature
Reefer Trailers and Dry Freight Reefer trailers, the part of the truck where the magic happens, can be modified to handle more than just cold freight. If a driver is having trouble finding shipments that need to stay cool, they can easily switch things up and transport dry freight instead. It’s like having a truck that can adapt to different challenges – a true superhero in the transportation world!
Start Your Cool Career Journey in the Portland Area
For those eager to embark on a cool career driving reefer trucks, the first step is finding the right truck driving school in the Portland Area. At Elite Truck School, we have over 20 years of experience as a local leader in truck driver training. We not only teach you the basics of driving but also help you obtain the necessary CDL endorsements, including the reefer endorsement. Even if you’re not sure which type of truck you want to drive, we will prepare you for a variety of exciting careers in the transportation industry.