Ice Road Truckers: Logistics rock stars

Ice Road Truckers - need I say more? I downloaded a free preview version from iTunes last week and I was on the edge of my seat for the entire 45 minutes.


If you are not aware of the new show, it's on the History Channel at 10PM and it basically follows a group of insane truckers that are driving on ice, yes, ice to the remote parts of Northern Canada for diamond and coal mines. They only have 60-70 days to drive on the ice before it melts and roads are not an option, because they simply don't exist. Some of the loads topple 33,000 pounds as they across 350 miles of 16 inch ice. It's really incredible. Obviously, it's all about the payday. Most of them make enough in 60-70 days to equal an annual salary, unfortunately their lives are at risk.

If the supply chain were a music genre, these guys would be Led Zeppelin, because they are rock stars. The show details a few local logistics firms that work in the region that tweak the trucks for the extreme cold, -30 degrees, and who also schedule the deliveries as they need to keep a distance from each other or they could create under ice waves that could crack the entire surface. This is must see TV.

I'm off to warm Italy next week for vacation, but rest easy, I'll try to come back with some local supply chain news from the island of Capri.