Dry Van, Reefer, Flatbed: How Equipment Type Changes Your Freight Quote
Why reefer and flatbed loads price differently from dry van, the extra details to collect for each, and how to adjust margin by equipment type.
Hopelight Labs · · 2 min read
The same lane can carry very different prices depending on the trailer. Equipment type affects carrier cost, availability, risk and the questions you need to ask before quoting. Here's how the three most common types compare from a broker's point of view.
Dry van
The most common trailer in US truckload freight, used for packaged, non-perishable goods.
What drives price
- Large carrier pool, so pricing tends to track market data closely
- Lane balance (headhaul vs. backhaul) and timing matter most
Details to collect
- Weight and pallet count
- Floor-loaded vs. palletized
- Appointment requirements, driver assist
Refrigerated (reefer)
Temperature-controlled trailers for food, pharmaceuticals and other sensitive goods.
What drives price
- Higher equipment and fuel costs: the refrigeration unit burns fuel too
- Strong seasonality, especially during produce seasons
- Higher claim risk if temperature isn't maintained
Details to collect
- Required temperature or range, continuous vs. cycle mode
- Pre-cooling requirements
- Commodity, including any food safety requirements
- Whether the load can be top-loaded or stacked
Margin note: many brokers target a higher margin on reefer to reflect the risk and expertise involved. See freight broker margins.
Flatbed
Open trailers for steel, lumber, machinery and building materials.
What drives price
- Smaller carrier pool than van in many regions
- Securement equipment and labor: tarps, chains, straps
- Strong link to construction and industrial activity
Details to collect
- Dimensions and weight of each piece
- Tarping requirements
- Loading method: crane, forklift, side-loading
- Oversize or overweight status, which may require permits and escorts
Specialized variants
Step decks, RGNs, conestogas, power-only and team service all have their own pricing logic. When a request mentions any of these, slow down and check with someone experienced before quoting.
How to quote by equipment type
- Use the right market reference for the equipment. Never price a reefer load from a van average. See how to use DAT RateView data.
- Ask the equipment-specific questions before quoting, or quote with clear assumptions stated.
- Add the right accessorials: tarps, temperature monitoring, extra securement. See our accessorial charges checklist.
- Adjust margin by equipment with written rules.
Automating equipment-aware quotes
A good quoting process asks the right questions for each equipment type and applies the right market data and margin automatically. Hopelight Quote extracts equipment and requirements from the shipper's email, flags missing details such as reefer temperature, and applies your equipment-specific margin rules to every draft.
