Screwed Up Big Time, Think I'm Done (reefer Temp Wrong)

Werner if the BOL requires the load be protected from heat or cold, it stands to reason above freezing and below 85'f, maybe somewhere in between is satisfied that requirement.

If there is no temp stated and the lading is not perishable (flowers, dairy, deli, meat, produce, etc.) set the temp at 55'f. Macro your dispatcher with that info. and go.

You might also ask the shipper what they recommend before you leave their facility. Record this information in case you return to some of these places for the same or similar load.

6/19/17

Werner, thanks for this thread. I learned from reading it and the answers. I have not pulled Reefer , but there is always the future. Good luck to you on your work and relationship with Werner.

-Traffic Jam

If it's a Refer Load, & I don't get a Temp, then I call the Broker & I tell him to get me a Temp or I'm waiting. Always read the bills & always only pull away from the Dock once all your questions are answered & you have temp set.

Normally, I know if I am running strawberries, there is a Temp range I will be keeping, & if I am running Frozen Waffles there is a Range I am keeping there... but I ALWAYS get a Temp from the Shipper! Always Read The Bills!!!!

Yeah it was my bad but I've gotten loads with no temp and bills just say protect from heat and cold, then it turns into a 4 hour wait well the company verifies this is true.

Well looks like I learned an important lesson

Ok, Werner. If I could I would hit you in the head with a soft baseball bat. But I can't, so I'm just going to yell at you instead.

Usually, not always, when they put a mark next to the product on the BoL they're making a note that the product is there. So if I'm looking over a load and I see 40 boxes of cereal product #12345 I will put a mark next to it so I know I counted it.

I probably wouldn't say anything and if they confronted me I would just play stupid. But I think you'll get away with this one only because its Beer. They only want it temperature controlled so that the beer wont be 100 degrees. They dont need it ice cold, though they prefer it.

Pray that the receiver is lazy and the dock workers dont care about their job to notice. But I would bet you'll be fine. Just try to keep it to yourself and dont give them a reason to lool at you.

Now as for the yelling part. You really, really cannot let this happen again. If you're not 110% sure about the reefer temp then do not leave the shipper until you get that required temperature with a signature of the shipping clerk. Always read everything. Must not let this happen ever again. Seriously, if this was anything but beer you would be a goner.

Agree with Daniel 100%. Read everything, front and back. If you are running reefer, 99% of the time you will be put-on a load requiring a controlled temperature.

Great info here. I am noting all this. But, if it does not specify temp on Bills, you can always ask them to Print a Temp on the Bills or you can choose not to sign/accept. Normally, they will Write on the bills then a Temp. If your hauling to Walmart, KNOW THEY WILL NOT ACCEPT A Hand Written Notation! If I am hauling for Wally World, I will always ask for a new set of bills to be printed with the proper information/temp listed.

Werner if the BOL requires the load be protected from heat or cold, it stands to reason above freezing and below 85'f, maybe somewhere in between is satisfied that requirement.

If there is no temp stated and the lading is not perishable (flowers, dairy, deli, meat, produce, etc.) set the temp at 55'f. Macro your dispatcher with that info. and go.

You might also ask the shipper what they recommend before you leave their facility. Record this information in case you return to some of these places for the same or similar load.

I had a Tyson load where the preprinted BOL said "28 degrees or -10" and the office was supposed to circle the correct one. They didn't. I parked at the security gate and told them I wasn't moving until they straightened it out. Security broke the seal and climbed in the back to find out cause NO ONE knew what it was. Smh...the BOL said "pepperoni for frozen pizza" so was it fresh or frozen?

You made a mistake. Learn from it. There are so many variations to produce...bananas are 60 degrees, tomato and cucumber can be 35. Cheese shouldn't go above 40.... We have intellisets that guide you in the basics, but set points are important and vary greatly.

And I NEVER rely on Prime to tell me the temperature. I go by the BOL. One dispatcher told me to put it on 65...the BOL said 35. I'm driving this rig. I don't care what they say...the signed legal document said 35. That is what I put it at. If they really want to argue about it, I tell them to call the claims manager. Cause he is the one who will deal with the headache later.

Thanks Werner! I am really digging this thread as I hope to get into reefers in a couple of weeks when I graduate.

Lot of great advice in this conversation.

One of the toughest parts about being a trucker is that you almost never have any authority in any situation. But that can work to your advantage too. You don't have to make these type of decisions and you don't have to be held responsible for them either. The shipper knows exactly what temperature every load should be set at and I agree with the others, don't leave the property until you have that temperature in writing on the bills. Don't take anyone's word for it. Don't even trust the Qualcomm. There isn't a reason on God's Green Earth that the shipper doesn't have the temperature right on the bills, but you can be certain that if there's a way to blame the driver for the mistake there will be people who try.

So get the temperature in writing on the bills before you leave the shipper. Don't leave anyone the opportunity to blame you for any mistakes that were made.

Just as a heads up, there will be times where the shipper doesn't have a set temp they want the load run at, and there won't be a temp on the bills, but the receiver will have a temp they want the load kept at.

What, you may well be asking, the actual hell?

We get loads from a plastic bottle plant from time to time. You'd think empty plastic bottles would be something that doesn't even need to be temp controlled. But not according to Tropicana. They want them kept at 70°. Apparently the reasons are so the thin plastic doesn't warp due to temperature extremes, and so the plastic doesn't start outgassing in extreme heat. The shipper doesn't put any temps on the bills, but if you pull into Tropicana and that reefer isn't running at 70° continuous you're going to catch 87 flavors of hell.

Moral of the story: always double and triple check ALL of your temp setting instructions, from every source. When I'm doubt, ask. Never assume.

Thanks Werner! I am really digging this thread as I hope to get into reefers in a couple of weeks when I graduate.

Here's a thread I started a while back to help with reefers

Reefer tips for Rookies

Just as a heads up, there will be times where the shipper doesn't have a set temp they want the load run at, and there won't be a temp on the bills, but the receiver will have a temp they want the load kept at.

This is true also. In any case, having someone put the temperature in writing is really the only way for the driver to protect themselves from any blame if things go wrong. If it comes down to he-said, she-said the driver is almost always going to lose.

Now if a driver chooses to haul the freight without having anything in writing then that's the driver's choice. But for the newbies out there I just want to make sure they understand the situation so they can make the right choices and they don't accidentally get themselves in a mess.

Driver: "But the lady in the shipping office told me to run with it, it's fine"

Lady In Shipping Office: "I never said anything of the sort"

Driver gets the blame almost every time.