ice road jobs.

[limeyphil]

I spoke to a company about 18 months ago and was told that i would need to work in Canada for 2 years before anyone would give me a job on the ice roads.
"I live in England".

I can't see what difference it would make. I don't want to sound like a big headed git. But i've got plenty of experience from driving throughout Europe, From Norway to Moroco. There are extreme conditions even over here.
I've pulled every type of trailer you could think of. But i'm not good enough for Canada, so they seem to tell me.

If anyone knows of a way in, Then let me know, So i can show you how to do the job properly.

[Pipeman]

I spoke to a company about 18 months ago and was told that i would need to work in Canada for 2 years before anyone would give me a job on the ice roads.
"I live in England".

I can't see what difference it would make. I don't want to sound like a big headed git. But i've got plenty of experience from driving throughout Europe, From Norway to Moroco. There are extreme conditions even over here.
I've pulled every type of trailer you could think of. But i'm not good enough for Canada, so they seem to tell me.

If anyone knows of a way in, Then let me know, So i can show you how to do the job properly.

Canada already has a lot of good drivers available. Besides driving on th wrong side of the road could be suicide.

[SNOSLIDR]

AFIC last season up north was very slow, as it was in ALL AREAS OF FREIGHT....why would they go and hire someone from out of the country, when Canadians who already have citizenship and all of that can come and work, without all the hassle of immigration ect?

The credit crunch is not just over there mate, its everywhere.

Common sence man.

[OldGoat]

What the rest said Phil. Don't take it personal. This last year was very slow, with about 1/3 the trucks on the ice from previous years. They now store fuel in Yellowknife instead of having to get it out of Hay River and Edmonton.

[Geordieboy16]

Don't take this personally Phil. But is 5-6 weeks of working "up north" really worth the hassle of tedious work permits, immigration papers
Yeah, i've been up there, only because the company I was with, was subcontracted to RTL, who run the logistics, along with others, as Old Goat has mentioned.
RTL only had me running up to Yellowknife. The 1st season I wasn't interested in going on the ICE. There was enough a/holes up there without me adding to it. I wasn't confident enough. It's no use going up there all gung-ho, you wouldn't last a week!!!
The 2nd season, I felt confident enough, but again RTL only wanted me to run to Yellowknife. They promised a run up north, but it never materialised.
There are a lot of seasoned drivers up there, some reputable companies. It's a lottery. The same guys get asked back & if there are any empty spaces, they are normally snapped up, straight away.
EDGE Transportation & HWT are subcontracted to RTL during the season, that's how I got up there. They asked for volunteers & I volunteered.
If you are serious about going up there, apply for a job with the above companies, but again, you may not be so lucky.
It's not what you see on the T.V. Personally, I think that programme is a load of BS along with all reality programmes!! It definately ain't glamorous. It's hard work, especially at -50 degrees!!!!
Just my 2cents worth without prejudice

Steve

[Pipeman]

Good post Steve.

The TV series is nothing but a bunch of crap by trying to "SENSATIONALIZING" with BS.

[OldGoat]

What's not glamorous about working 18 hr days and 100+ hrs a week? You don't have to go that hard though. I tried to keep up with a group I was with for two weeks. But they wanted to always stay ahead of the pack and slept 4 hrs a night. I burned out and ran by my own clock after that. It was a much nicer pace. I got my 8 hrs in the rack every night. There were always delays, like a storm or breakdown that would get you back in the running and close the gap.

They got a trip or two more than I did, but it's not a race and I didn't want to start breaking the rules like some did and pay dearly for it. Like shaving off 3 hrs on the first leg of the trip on what should have been 8.5 hrs. Or coming off the ice onto a portage and being met by security with radar. Banned for life is not the legacy I'd want to leave behind.

[maan]

Guess they don't care much about HOS out there..

[SNOSLIDR]

HOS is rubbish anyways

[OldGoat]

Yes they care about HOS, but for teh ice road they give them an exemption from the norm. You can do 15 hrs driving and 2 hrs work time for a total of 17hr/day. The DOT is out there checking log books.