Trucking guides, grouped by what you're working on

Practical trucking guides for owner operators and small fleets, written by Fredrick. They're grouped by topic rather than date, with the best starting point first in each group. Every regulation, temperature, rate and price links to its source with the month we checked it, and guides are updated when the facts change. See our editorial policy.

Start here · Dispatch and ratesReefer Dispatch: Temps, Pulp Checks and Produce SeasonsHow loads are found, checked and paid, and how to weigh one truck against another.

Dry Van vs Reefer: Which Pays More with a Dispatcher?

What each topic covers

Dispatch and rates: How loads are found, negotiated and checked before you say yes; how to compare trucks and lanes; and how to read a rate con so nothing you agreed to goes missing.
Reefer and cold chain: Setpoints, unit modes, pulp temperatures, washouts and the paperwork that settles a rejected load, plus what reefer equipment costs to buy, run and repair.
Partials and LTL: Pallets, linear feet, freight class and multi-stop routes from a carrier's side, for trailers and 26 ft box trucks filling space with partial loads.
Factoring: How factoring works, what it costs once every fee is counted, recourse and non-recourse, fuel advances and how to use it alongside dispatch. We refer carriers to RTS Financial and say so on every page.
Compliance: Who DOT drug and alcohol testing applies to and who it doesn't, consortiums, the Clearinghouse and what testing costs.

We choose topics from the questions carriers bring to the dispatch desk: what a load really pays, why a reefer load was rejected, whether a partial is worth the space, how to get paid faster and what the rules require. Each guide ends with what to do next, whether that's a tool to run your own numbers, a related guide or, if it fits, a dispatcher to take the work off your hands.

Where to start

Running a reefer, or thinking about one? Start with how reefer loads are dispatched, then dry van vs reefer to see which truck pays more on your numbers.
Waiting weeks to get paid? Read how factoring works and whether it's worth it before you sign anything.
Starting your own authority with a CDL truck? Get your testing program right first: drug testing requirements and Clearinghouse registration.

Data and checklists

Reference pages, such as produce season calendars, temperature excursion checklists and reefer trailer dimensions, carry the date of their data at the top and are refreshed on a schedule. They're built to be printed, saved and shared. For quick definitions of the words you meet on rate cons and at the dock, see the trucking terms glossary; for the math, our free tools.

About our guides

Q01How often are guides updated?

Guides that rely on prices, rates or partner terms are re-checked regularly, and regulation-based guides at least once a year or whenever an agency announces a change. Each guide shows the month it was last updated, and every figure inside it carries its own source and check date. Readers can report errors through the contact page.

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