Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/153582
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS Text Lina Törnquist Photo Christer Ehrling "I try to fix most things myself" Truck driver Lisa Kelly is the world's most famous female truck driver. Being one of the stars of the TV series Ice Road Truckers and IRT: Deadliest Roads, the native Alaskan has faced some of the toughest driving conditions in the world. LISA KELLY Age: 32 Lives: Alaska Company: Carlile Transportation, an Alaskan trucking company. Background: Before becoming an ice road trucker, Kelly worked as a school bus driver and motocross rider. In Alaska she was the state freestyle motocross champion. Worldtrucker Worldtrucker is a global online community for truck drivers of all brands. The site is designed to help drivers to express their passion for trucks, as well as keep in touch with their families and friends, easily discuss experiences and establish new cross-border relations. The Worldtrucker site is available in 20 languages. Site: www.worldtrucker.com When you started out driving trucks, you fought to work the difficult terrain up in northern Alaska. Why? "I say that when you do something, do it to your best. So when I decided to become a truck driver, I wanted to be a truck driver who could handle anything. I made sure that I was certified for everything, and you have to have a special certification to go up North. Also, up there, you get a chance to work in a really unique environment with snowy mountains, northern lights and in complete solitude. You really begin to appreciate it." Can you tell us about some of the most difficult scenarios you've faced when driving? "I once slid down a hill backwards, which was scary, but I managed to keep the truck on the road. As far as needing to use creativity to solve problems, I think one of the most challenging things I've faced was to get rocks stuck between the dual tires of my truck in India. At the time I didn't know how to deal with it. But I learned from the local drivers to put a rope around the rock and wedge it out." You like to fix things that break down yourself … "I do my best to fix most things myself. Often all you have is duct tape and wire and you have to think, 'How do I solve it?' Overcoming those types 30 of challenges, such as when a truck breaks down or while driving on ice and snow, kicks in my creativity and I actually enjoy it. I might be cussing and swearing at the time, but really, I am loving it." One of the trucks you needed to fix was a 30-year-old, vintage Volvo truck on the "death road" in Bolivia during the filming of the History Channel's "IRT: Deadliest Roads." "I had to patch it together a number of times, because they don't really practice preventive maintenance down there. But the truck made it for the whole two months and we were filming on very tough terrain. An old truck for us in the U.S. is about five or six years old, so the fact that Volvo lasted so long, I think, is quite a big deal." You're a member of the Worldtrucker social media forum. Why do you like to stay in touch with other drivers? "As truckers, we're similar in a lot of ways. For example, there is no set schedule to our work. You could work five days in a row. We all miss our families back home and want to go home to them. So when we're on the road we keep each other company and talk each other through our latest problem or whatever. For me it's about the possibility of bringing us all together as a family. It makes it a small world after all." ■ DRIVER 'S DIGEST #2/2013 VTM_2_13_US_en.indb 32 DDQ213PG010-19_30-31_Common Pages.indd 30 2013-08-13 11:04 8/13/13 8:56 AM VTM_2_13