Ice Road Rookie
by Matthew Harrel
Ice road trucking is one of the most dangerous jobs in the world. With a job description that includes sub-zero working conditions, long hours with little sleep, and the risk of potentially falling through a road made of ice, it’s amazing that anyone signs up for the job. Incredibly, these are only a few challenges of being an ice road trucker.
Ice road trucking has been dubbed as a two month long “dash for cash.” Road crews spend weeks preparing the ice road for the trucks. Using ground-penetrating radar to measure the ice depth, road crews ensure the ice is thick enough (usually a minimum of about 27 inches) to support the big rigs. In what can become a scheduling nightmare, 600-900 truckers are tasked with delivering 10,000 loads at an average speed of only about 20 miles per hour. Drivers haul loads throughout the day and night, often getting little or no sleep be more »





