For reefer, in depth
Reefer fuel, pre-cool and set point: cost them and document them
The basics are on the reefer page. This page goes further: how to cost the unit's diesel by mode, what pre-cool time costs, and what makes a temperature record hold up in a dispute.
- Track unit fuel as its own line, by gallons per run hour, not per mile.
- Pre-cool and dock waiting burn unit fuel while the truck earns nothing.
- The rate con sets the set point and mode. Run what it says and record it.
- Read the reefer claims guide before you need it.
Costing the unit
Why per-mile fuel hides the reefer cost
Hours, not miles
The unit burns fuel while the truck is parked at a dock. A 6-hour wait costs nothing in tractor miles and plenty in unit fuel. Log run hours from the unit, then multiply by your own gallons-per-hour figure.
Continuous or cycle
Continuous mode keeps the unit running. Cycle mode starts and stops it. Which one is allowed depends on the product and the rate con. Do not switch on your own to save fuel.
Pre-cool
Cooling an empty trailer takes unit hours before loading. If the rate con requires a pre-cool reading, the time is part of the load cost, and a long pre-cool at a slow shipper may be billable as detention.
Set point
The set point is the temperature the rate con tells you to hold. Write it on the trip sheet. A load delivered at the wrong set point is the first thing a receiver points to.
What a record needs to show
The unit's log should show the set point, the actual temperature through the trip and the pre-cool reading before loading. A flat line near the set point supports you. Gaps, door-open spikes and a pre-cool that started late are what a dispute is built on.
We check that the record exists and is attached. We do not certify temperatures or decide a claim. Keep the full list in the reefer documentation checklist.
Reefer record by stage
| Stage | Capture | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Before loading | Pre-cool reading and time, set point, mode | Shows the trailer was ready |
| At pickup | Seal number, product temperature if the shipper gives one, BOL times | Starts the chain of custody |
| In transit | Unit log download, fuel stops, any alarm | Answers "was it held in range" |
| At delivery | Seal check, arrival and departure times, receiver notes | Defends against late rejection |
Worked example EXAMPLE VALUES
Invented numbers. A 12-hour run, 2 hours of pre-cool, diesel at $4.00 a gallon. Continuous mode burns 0.9 gal per hour. Cycle mode averages 0.6 gal per hour while running, and pre-cool is 0.9 either way.
- Continuous: (12 + 2) h x 0.9 = 12.6 gal x $4.00 = $50.40.
- Cycle: 12 h x 0.6 = 7.2 gal, plus 2 h x 0.9 = 1.8 gal, so 9.0 gal x $4.00 = $36.00.
- Difference: $50.40 - $36.00 = $14.40 per load.
That $14.40 is only yours to save if the rate con permits cycle mode. If it requires continuous, the $50.40 is the true cost and belongs in your load profit numbers. Find the reefer loads where unit fuel is missing from your margin.
We are not a claims adjuster. A spoilage claim is decided by the carrier, shipper, receiver and insurer, not by this page.
Reefer habits that help
- Read the set point and mode off the rate con before pickup.
- Photograph the unit display at loading and at delivery.
- Download the unit log before the next load overwrites it.
- Send detention notice when a cold dock holds you past free time.
- Check weather risk and diesel on the lane.
Questions
How do I get unit fuel into my cost per mile?
Add the unit's gallons for the trip to the tractor's gallons, or enter them on their own line in the cost per mile tool. Use your own fuel receipts and unit hours.
Is pre-cool time billable?
Only if the rate con or your contract says so, usually as detention when the wait passes free time. Otherwise it is a cost you absorb.
Can I cycle the unit to save diesel?
Only if the rate con and the product allow it. Ask the shipper or broker in writing. We cannot tell you what a given product needs.
See what your last 20 loads show.
One short form. We reply by email with the next step, and a one-page report follows. Free, no obligation.
Mon-Fri, 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Eastern Time (Raleigh, NC). Voicemail is answered the next business day.