Pick the wrong trailer and you’ll overpay, risk damage, or simply can’t ship at all. The three workhorses of North American trucking are the dry van, the refrigerated trailer (reefer), and the flatbed. Here’s what each is for.
Dry van
The dry van is a fully enclosed, unrefrigerated trailer — the most common type on the road. It protects freight from weather and theft and handles the widest range of commodities: palletized goods, packaged products, retail inventory, and general dry freight. If your product doesn’t need temperature control and fits inside a box trailer, a dry van is almost always the answer.
Reefer (refrigerated)
A reefer is a dry van with a refrigeration unit, used for temperature-sensitive freight: fresh and frozen food, produce, pharmaceuticals, and other perishables. Reefers cost more to run and require careful temperature setpoints and monitoring. Use one only when the product genuinely needs climate control.
Flatbed
A flatbed is an open trailer with no walls or roof, used for freight that’s oversized, oddly shaped, or loaded by crane — construction materials, steel, lumber, machinery, and equipment. Flatbed freight requires proper securement (straps, chains, tarps) and driver expertise in load safety.
Quick comparison
- Dry van — enclosed, no temperature control; best for general palletized/packaged freight.
- Reefer — enclosed and climate-controlled; best for perishables and temperature-sensitive goods.
- Flatbed — open deck; best for oversized, heavy, or crane-loaded freight.
Which do most shippers need?
For the majority of general freight — anything boxed, palletized, or crated that doesn’t need cooling — the dry van is the right, most economical choice, and it’s our core equipment. If you’re also weighing how much trailer to book, see our FTL vs LTL guide.