Dry van freight
A dry van is the enclosed trailer most freight rides in. If your shipment is palletized, boxed, crated or floor-loaded, needs to stay dry and secure, and doesn't need temperature control, a dry van is usually the simplest and most economical way to move it. Most vans load and unload at a dock, or with a forklift from the back.
- Packaged consumer goods and retail freight
- Shelf-stable food and beverages
- Paper, packaging and printed materials
- Building products and supplies that have to stay dry
- Auto parts, machine parts and crated industrial freight
- Bagged seed, feed and other agricultural products
Reefer (temperature-controlled) freight
A reefer is an insulated van with its own refrigeration unit. It holds a set temperature for the whole trip, whether the load needs to stay chilled, frozen, or just above freezing. On the Prairies, that last one matters: in winter a reefer is often used in heat mode to keep freight from freezing on the way.
- Fresh produce
- Frozen food
- Meat, poultry and dairy
- Beverages and other products that can't be allowed to freeze
- Paints, adhesives and other temperature-sensitive goods
- Plants and flowers
Van and reefer specs at a glance
These are general industry figures to help you plan. Exact inside dimensions and payloads vary by trailer and carrier.
| Trailer | Length | Standard pallets (48 × 40 in) | Typical payload (approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry van | 53 ft (48 ft also common) | About 26 single-stacked | About 42,000 to 45,000 lb |
| Reefer | 53 ft | About 26 single-stacked | A little less than a dry van, because of the unit and insulation |
Reefers are slightly narrower inside than dry vans, so oversized pallets can be a tight fit. More pallets may fit if they can be turned or stacked. Allowed weights vary between provinces and states.
If your freight is too tall, too long or too heavy for a van, it probably belongs on a flatbed or step deck instead.
Full truckload preferred, LTL welcome
Full truckloads (FTL) are what we move most. The trailer is yours, it runs direct from pickup to delivery, and the freight is handled less. But not every shipment fills 53 feet, and that's fine. We also quote LTL and partial loads, from a few pallets up to half a trailer or more. Tell us the pallet count and size, the weight, whether the pallets can be stacked, and whether either end needs a liftgate or an appointment.
Where we book van and reefer freight
- Within Canada: Manitoba to and from Saskatchewan, Alberta, B.C., Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada
- Within the U.S.: domestic loads state to state, not only loads that cross the border
- Cross-border: southbound Canada to U.S. and northbound U.S. to Canada. See Winnipeg to U.S. freight
- The North: vans and reefers to the Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Alaska. See Alaska and territories freight
Keeping a reefer load on temperature
- Set point: give the temperature in °C or °F, and any allowed range
- Continuous or cycle: say whether the unit should run continuously or start and stop
- Load it at temperature: a reefer holds temperature; it isn't built to cool down warm product
- Pre-cool: the trailer should be at the set point before loading starts
- Records: if your receiver needs a temperature record, tell us up front
What to send for a van or reefer quote
- Pickup and delivery cities (postal or ZIP code if you have it)
- Commodity, pallet count and pallet size, and whether it stacks
- Total weight
- FTL or LTL
- For reefer loads: temperature and continuous or cycle mode
- Dock or liftgate at each end, appointment times and ready date
Send it through the quote form, or call or text 204-361-6765. Quotes usually come back the same business day.