Explore more in Overdrive’s weekly series celebrating trucking history and the magazine’s journey.
Trucking-themed television shows have been plentiful, including titles like “American Trucker,” “Shipping Wars,” “Trick My Truck,” and “Movin’ On.” However, few have matched the enduring popularity of the History Channel’s “Ice Road Truckers” and its offshoot, “IRT: Deadliest Roads.”
The series, which detailed drivers’ experiences navigating treacherous frozen roads in Alaska and Canada, aired for 11 seasons before concluding in 2017.
A significant factor in the show’s success was Lisa Kelly, who continues to reside in Wasilla, Alaska, alongside her pets, including a cat, a pig, and five horses. As one of the rare female truckers featured in “IRT,” Kelly participated in Seasons 3–5 and 7–11. Her popularity opened doors for sponsorships within the trucking sector, including appearances at major industry events.
Overdrive’s June 2013 cover featured Kelly, returning for the seventh season after a break.
Kelly drives along Alaska’s Dalton Highway, known as the Haul Road, which connects Fairbanks to the Prudhoe Bay oil fields. Although she chose not to disclose her fleet, she mentioned in a recent Overdrive interview that her employer is dedicated to keeping drivers active during the pandemic, which has heavily impacted oil field freight.
Episodes of “IRT” continue to be rerun, allowing Kelly to receive fan mail regularly—even from viewers who aren’t familiar with her complete address. “My mailman knows me, so things come addressed to Lisa Kelley, Ice Road Trucker, Wasilla, and I still get my mail. It’s wild,” Kelly remarked.
Kelly operated a Kenworth W900 while working for Carlile Transportation Systems on the show.
If there were any uncertainties about Kelly’s appeal among truckers, the popularity of Overdrive’s Youtube channel dispels them. An interview with her ranks as the second-most viewed among the 800 videos posted, only behind a trucker’s dashcam footage of an attempted suicide.
In the video below, watch my recent Zoom conversation with Kelly, where she shares her insights on minimalism, her fellow “IRT” cast members, the trucking scene in Alaska, and her upcoming plans.
