Shipper Guides
Dry Van vs Reefer: Which Trailer Does Your Freight Need?
July 2, 2026 · 8 min read
Shippers often default to whichever trailer they used last time. That habit either overpays for refrigeration you don't need or risks a load of product you can't sell.
A refrigerated trailer weighs roughly 2,000–3,000 lb more than a comparable dry van, directly reducing legal payload under the 80,000 lb gross limit.
What each trailer actually is
A 53-foot dry van is an insulated-free enclosed box: weather protection, security and nothing else. A refrigerated trailer — a reefer — adds insulation, an air chute system and a diesel-powered refrigeration unit capable of holding set points from roughly -20°F to +70°F.
The reefer's insulation and unit reduce both interior cube and legal payload, and the unit burns its own fuel. That is why reefer rates on the same lane run meaningfully above dry van.
When you need a reefer even if the product isn't 'refrigerated'
Temperature protection is not only about cold. Wine, cosmetics, batteries, adhesives, pharmaceuticals and certain packaged foods need protection from heat in a Southwest summer and from freezing across a northern winter route. A 'protect from freeze' load rides in a reefer running heat, not cooling.
- Fresh produce: 32–38°F continuous run
- Frozen food: -10°F to -20°F, cycle sentry acceptable
- Dairy and beverage: 34–38°F, sanitation-critical
- Protect-from-freeze freight: reefer running heat in winter
Compliance changes with the trailer
Food moving under refrigeration falls under the FDA's Sanitary Transportation of Human and Animal Food rule, which sets expectations for pre-cooling, sanitation, temperature control and records that dry van freight simply does not carry.
If you ship human or animal food, confirm that your carrier documents pre-cool, set point and continuous temperature data — and that they can produce those records months later.