With the recent Utah mine tragedy, it's hard to imagine taking such a risky job. I recently read an article on CNNMoney.com about America's most dangerous jobs. I thought firefighters or miners would have been first on the list. However, fishermen are ranked first with 147 deaths per 100,000 workers, followed by pilots with 87 deaths per 100,000 workers in 2006. The stats are from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.Some people are braver than others -- if not, there won't be any firefighters. Then there are those who take dangerous jobs for the money, like the truck drivers on 'Ice Road Truckers' on The History Channel.
These truck drivers deliver equipment to diamond mines in Northern Canada, risking their lives by driving over frozen lakes. They drive 100,000 pounds of truck on just inches of ice. With double digit negative temperature, it's not uncommon for the trucks to freeze and break down. Did I mention the frostbite danger? This job is definitely not for the faint of heart.
The show started in June with the season finale was on August 19. In that a short period of time, the show became the most watched program on The History Channel, averaging 3.9 million total viewers according to Nielsen. Because of its success, the show will have three additional episodes: a one-hour historical show and a two-part reunion show of the truckers since the season ended last winter.
I haven't watched all of the episodes, I've just been watching video clips here and there on the Web. So far, it looks interesting ... I'll definitely add it to my list of shows to TiVo when the new episodes air!
Fore more information this show, check out AOL Television and search for 'Ice Road Truckers' on AOL Search.
Hot Searches From August 19, 2007:
1. Will Demps -- N.Y. Giants safety is injured at preseason game at Baltimore.
2. Alex Rodriguez -- Won't be re-signed by NY Yankees if he opts out of his contract.
3. 'Ice Road Truckers' -- Most watched show on The History Channel.
4. F-cup Cookie -- Enlarges your breasts?
5. Map of Jamaica -- Island gets hit by hurricane Dean.
6. Billy Graham -- Recovers from an intestinal bleed.
7. WNBA -- N.Y. Liberty faces Detroit shocks in first round of playoffs.
8. New York Fire Department -- Fire at Ground Zero kills two firefighters.
9. Anne Hathaway -- Book on William Shakespeare's wife to be published soon.
10. 'Batman' -- Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy in the next 'Batman' movie.
11. NHRA -- Race is postponed to Monday due to rain.
12. 'Dog the Bounty Hunter' -- Book tops NY Times bestselling hardcover nonfiction.
13. Hurricane Dean Path -- Heads toward Yucatan Peninsula.
14. Resumes -- Dust off your resume for a new job!
15. Ocean City, Md. -- Officials vote to oppose slot machines.
16. Boats -- Find new or used boats online.
17. NASCAR -- Michigan race is postponed because of rain.
18. Rihanna -- Has the number one song in Europe.
19. Criss Angel -- Denies dating Britney Spears.
20. NY Mets -- Beat the Washington Nationals 8-2.
See sponsored links for: TV show DVDs, job listings.
Reader Comments (Page 4 of 4)
61. HEY RICK BADMAN !
Could you explain for everyone interested here what stacked flywheel energy storage units actually are ? Myself include I am not sure if you’re talking about electromotive force vehicles, or cable drawn type vehicles? I have to agree with you 100% though, the safety and eco options available are endless here. I think the reason they haven’t opt to try any of these other options is clear though. $ $ $ $ All financial investment here is put up by sub contractors like Hugh, they own the vehicles, and are responsible for maintenance costs and insurance cost, because they are also driving on public highways. The only cost by the diamond mines are the cost of creating and maintaining the ice road and I believe they subcontract that out to another company (probably owned by one of the mines) I’m unsure. If they were to do what you suggest they would have to invest a mountain of money and own another mountain of equipment and related responsibilities that all depreciates in value over time that they currently don’t have to pay for that will keep these type of options from being utilized for a long time to come.
Fortunately responsible thinking, and the exponential growth in technological innovation and design, along with the concern for the environment at any cost by most responsible people such as yourself will see ideas like yours and others see reality in the future especially with people like yourself making these technologies the topic of discussion in public arenas that are read by people who otherwise wouldn’t hear about them.
So Please… Expand on your thoughts for all to read.
Posted at 10:36AM on Aug 21st 2007 by moatsyjr
62. I drove truck over the road for years, and I certainly have stopped my truck many times to block accident scenes, and call for emergency services. I've helped to push an old lady's car out of the ditch, and picked up scattered purse contents that were strewn all over the road to return to the shocked, yet unscathed woamn who rlled her SUV over.
I might be a fairly younger gal, but I was trained by old school "knights of the road", who still believed in helping out fellow travelers. It is bullshit to go on about truckers being rude. Granted, if you are bitching about gravel trucks on Rte. 128 in Mass, I do know exactly what you mean!
However, MOST of the time a truck is up your ass, you are probably in the left lane slowing things down with your cruise control set below the speed limit. Learn what "merge" and "yield" signs mean.
If you really hate truckers I suggest you boycott all the products that come off a truck. Grow your own trees, make your own fuel and furniture. Raise live stock, grow produce, spin cloth, and make your own shoes and clothing. Otherwise shut up and learn how to share the road with a truck!
Posted at 10:54AM on Aug 21st 2007 by FiFi
63. Dear Kris Roth,
I may be wrong, but I don’t think Canadian law pertains to work in the territories. The other reason may be that he is a subcontractor not an employee of Hugh's, I know… he is working for Hugh it’s just a loophole used down here in the states to avoid workers comp insurance, but you would think if Hugh was a responsible employer he would cover the cost wouldn’t you?
SECOND… the law hasn’t caught up with this isolated industry yet due to the fact that it so small relative to the entire trucking industry and its location. In both Canada and the US they are required to be inspected once a year, most large companies maintain stringent maintenance regularly just because it is cheaper in the long run, (very difficult to do financially by owner operators though because if the truck isn’t moving, they aren’t making money). Plus heat is a comfort not a necessity, I know… it is a safety issue under these circumstances, but tough to control under those conditions, I’m sure they have working heat, the problem is the ambient temperature is so cold that the engines aren’t being “worked” hard enough to maintain engine coolant temperature high enough, with enough flow outside the engine (flowing through rubber hoses, then through the heater core and back to the return side of the radiator) to produce enough heat to overcome the outside temperature. HOWEVER ! This can all be overcome with money, they do sell add on AC/Heat units like "Arctic Fox" that run on kerosene that are nothing more than little furnaces that would definitely do the job very well regardless of the outside temp. Cost being the overlying element. Remember, there are a lot of other trucks running up there also, not just Hugh, he was determined to be the most entertaining for television viewing.
THIRD… The reasoning here is, you can always refuse to drive the truck. There are exceptions though, equipment violations are charged to the vehicle owner, or company, it’s all dependent upon the violation. The other reasoning here is that companies relies upon their drivers to due their pre and post trip inspections if they do not do this the company has no way (supposedly) of knowing the truck is in need of repairs.
MOST OF ALL… Thank you for being concerned enough to care.
Posted at 11:15AM on Aug 21st 2007 by moatsyjr
64. I am one of the people that is hooked on this show. Have a few questions. Why did TJ have to pay for his own medical care when he was hurt on job. I would think Canada with it's socialist leanings would have workmen's comp laws. Also, why isn't someone doing somesort of inspections on those trucks every few days to see if they are safe for truckers? How can people like Hugh force their employees to drive trucks without heat in 40 below temps? Lastly, when owners do fail to maintain trucks and accidents happen, why are drivers instead of owners punished?
Posted at 11:38AM on Aug 21st 2007 by Kriss Roth
65. Some how #63 and #64 got reversed?
Posted at 1:43PM on Aug 21st 2007 by moatsyjr
66. Stacked flywheel storage units would look like barrels with induction piping for either forced air or liquid coolant to coll the armature of the motor-generator sandwiched between the flywheel vacuum canisters so that the vacuum can be maintained. I would use either quartz flywheels or some ultra-stressed crystalline molecular solid material for the flywheels to obtain a kinetic energy storage capacity of at least 100 watt-hours per cubic inch. If a rig weighed 12,000 pounds and the load weighed another 24,000 pounds and four stacked units that contained eight flywheels with each flywheel being 10,000 cubic inches were the primary units, the range might be over 500 miles nonstop. If geothermal powerplants were located throughout Canada to provide electricity, even if they were no larger than a large shed, flywheel-powered electric trucks could respin their flywheels within 15 minutes and be on their way without losing much time at all. Also, there would be no danger of fuel line freezing since there are no fuel lines and the cold air being pumped into the motor-generators to cool them would be welcomed.
Posted at 11:51AM on Aug 27th 2007 by Rick Badman