As above, I’ve been doing curtainsider work since I started last year but I wouldn’t mind giving fridges a go at some point so just looking for opinions from those of you that have worked with both.
I found fridge work was very same’y a lot of RDC’s & motorway pounding (that was about 20 years ago) also I didn’t like/get used to the Bloody Fridge being on most of the time (worse when I drove a rigid with the bloody fridge just above my head ! Grrrr, only lasted 4 weeks on that job)
Curtain Sider Work is a lot more varied IMO, although we still do a few RDC’s (so the Fridges don’t get all the ‘Fun’ lol)
I’ve only done fridge work so can’t compare, loads of standing around waiting for inbound, so you can go and deliver at the start of shift (3hrs a day at our place is common), if you don’t get it all off or you have rejections on you will have the reefer on all night (try sleeping through that when you start), parking can be an issue, some truck stops won’t allow you to run the reefer at night, some drivers turn them off, others ask if your leaving “that thing” on all night (well I don’t have it on for the fun of it) even if they are parked miles away, very early starts 2300-0400 for am deliveries at our place, max hours not un heard of.
Fridges are much better imo. Bar the back and shut the doors, that’s load and vehicle security taken care of. You can park in any lay by or industrial estate and know you won’t wake up to bits of curtain flapping in the wind. I want my boss to buy me a fridge. 90% of our work will go in one, shut the doors and off. Same load in a curtain takes 20 mins to strap
I am going to assume that you are talking about tramping and say in my experience they both have their pros and cons. Fridge work is probably a bit easier physically and usually cleaner work but you will probably find you will be going to a lot of the same places over again so can get a bit repetitive. And of course there’s always the joy of the RDC drivers waiting room 
.
Curtain siders on the other hand tend to be a bit more varied so can in turn be a bit more interesting.
My advise if you have already done general haulage on curtain siders and have the opportunity of doing fridges would be to give it a go, only you can decide which you prefer and unless you do both you won’t know.
Whatever you decide good luck and hope you enjoy it.
Dry box work. easier than fridge work really as you have nothing to monitor. load bar and go its that simple.
Ambient is always going to be easier than chilled/frozen.
So what if you have to pull back the curtains… Personally, I hate unloading those damned dollies off the back of a fridge, because there seems to be some rule at store drops that says “No dock leveller will actually be level, and the lip will seek to tip over the unwary dolly mover.” Add to that, the way cages are never done up properly (with triple loop) so the stuff spills down the front of the partially opening cage the moment you try and move it. 
Pulling two curtains back and forth while forkie does his bit is much easier! 
If doing RDC to RDC runs, then unloading in the yard with forkie is going to be very similar to shop deliveries. Curtainsiders can also go on a bay, and be unloaded by pallet mover as well of course - providing the load isn’t strapped awkwardly throughout…
The only time I don’t want to be unloading in the yard instead of propping up daisies in the waiting room is when it’s pouring with rain. If I am not allowed to stay in my cab whilst being unloaded, I’d much prefer to tip myself as well. “Boredom time” drags a lot more than “rushed off feet time”. 
Winseer:
Ambient is always going to be easier than chilled/frozen.So what if you have to pull back the curtains… Personally, I hate unloading those damned dollies off the back of a fridge, because there seems to be some rule at store drops that says “No dock leveller will actually be level, and the lip will seek to tip over the unwary dolly mover.” Add to that, the way cages are never done up properly (with triple loop) so the stuff spills down the front of the partially opening cage the moment you try and move it.
Pulling two curtains back and forth while forkie does his bit is much easier!
If doing RDC to RDC runs, then unloading in the yard with forkie is going to be very similar to shop deliveries. Curtainsiders can also go on a bay, and be unloaded by pallet mover as well of course - providing the load isn’t strapped awkwardly throughout…
The only time I don’t want to be unloading in the yard instead of propping up daisies in the waiting room is when it’s pouring with rain. If I am not allowed to stay in my cab whilst being unloaded, I’d much prefer to tip myself as well. “Boredom time” drags a lot more than “rushed off feet time”.
We self load and secure. self tip and reload mts . none are cages simple 3 bar restraints with straps in a dry box .
easy work and it gives you a bit of exercise. not much just a bit though.
Fridge work does it for me although the odd ambient run breaks it up a little as long as its loaded on a fridge.
bald bloke:
Fridge work does it for me although the odd ambient run breaks it up a little as long as its loaded on a fridge.
you got a few chilled handbags down your place I hear 
Fridge every time . The goods are usually perishable so the customers are interested in getting the stuff as opposed to containers carrying plastic display cases. With cutainsiders if a pallet of drums breaks it’s steel bands the drums can roll straight thru the side of the curtain. Two doors at the back ,solid roof and sides,one less problem to worry about. Used to have drivers go on about lovely old Scammels, you drive the junk and I’ll have the modern stuff,no brainer…
As said both jobs have their moments, good & bad, but when the wind gets up it’s a fridge every time.
Neither!!!
Done both of them, almost as boring as containers 
Hiab for me, every time.
I do realise, however, that working with some great characters by rivers, the sea, and wind farms in the Scottish highlands can’t compare to sitting in a cab for hour after hour getting fat and bored while on a bay at an RDC waiting for a green light…
Thanks for all the replies. Seems to be pros and cons to both as expected. I like the idea of not having to strap everything down, thats the biggest pain with curtainsiders I find. But then having to listen to a fridge running all night would also be a bit of a nuisance.
nick2008:
bald bloke:
Fridge work does it for me although the odd ambient run breaks it up a little as long as its loaded on a fridge.you got a few chilled handbags down your place I hear
Yeah there’s a few.
jay0:
But then having to listen to a fridge running all night would also be a bit of a nuisance.
Well you won’t always have a night out with stuff on board, our company plan us to be empty as much as possible, don’t always work mind you.
My first driving job was on fridges delivering the frozen food to Kwik save and Sommerfeld stores. Based in Wolverhampton, and I was 3 weeks staying in the truck and one week back home in Glasgow. It was a great job. Hardly any handball involved. Done all your drops and headed back to the yard empty. No pick ups. Parked up in the yard at night beside about 20 other fridges and alongside a railway line and can honestly say, you get used to the noise and can sleep with no problems.
Fridges for me, apart from having to be carefull with split coupling, its great + with summer & El Nino coming (going to be a hot one ths year, trust me) you can always jump in the back of the fridge for a cool down if needed.
Curtains help me keep fit though especially dragging a un-cooperative strap down the trailer.
Although lowloader work I enjoyed a lot for the sheer variety.
Hiabs where fun back in the day (apart from bloody site work- hated that) when you could just climb up the doors of a container to hook the chains on, bet you have to use ladders now.
With a fridge trailer,you can drop the legs,then move the tractor unit a few metres away from the trailer or park the unit at an angle.
Reduces the noise of the fridge running.
Foam ear plugs.
Drivers that moan about noise,would they turn off the power for their fridge/ freezer in their house and risk food poisoning.
It is the same for a fridge lorry.
End up killing half a town.
Some carry pharmaceuticals worth millions.
I took one pallet of pharmaceuticals to Italy in a 40’ fridge & had to keep the stuff warm.