The trailer you pull shapes your pay, your workload, and your home time. There is no single "best" — there is the best fit for how you want to run. Here is the honest comparison.
Dry van: steady and simple
The most common trailer for a reason: consistent freight nationwide, no-touch in most cases, and the lowest learning curve. Rates are moderate but volume is high, so your truck stays moving. Great for drivers who want predictable, steady work.
Reefer: higher rates, more responsibility
Refrigerated freight (food, produce, pharma) pays a premium and runs year-round. The trade-off: you manage temperatures, deal with tighter appointment windows, and reefer units add maintenance. If you do not mind the extra attention, the rates reward it.
Flatbed and step deck: skill pays
Flatbed, step deck, and RGN/lowboy haul construction materials, machinery, and oversized loads. Rates are strong and there is tarp pay, but you are securing and tarping freight — real physical work and skill. Heavy-haul (RGN) pays the most and usually wants more experience.
What actually moves your income
Trailer type sets the ceiling, but two things decide what you actually earn on any trailer:
- How little you sit. A premium rate means nothing if you deadhead or wait. Dispatch that keeps you prebooked beats a higher headline rate.
- What you keep. The same load pays differently after the carrier's cut and fees.
ARI runs all of these — dry van, reefer, flatbed, step deck, RGN, and Conestoga — at the same true 82%, with a dispatcher who keeps your wheels turning. See which trailer fits your business.