Top 5 Reality Truck Driving Shows
Do you ever find yourself scrolling endlessly through your TV channel guide, just waiting for something interesting and exciting to catch your attention? You can only watch so many repeats before you start debating whether you even need access to a television, and it would seem that nothing remotely enticing is available to stream in the modern-day. Thankfully, your search for great shows can finally grind to a halt! The genre of trucker reality shows is here to save you from your mind-numbing scroll. Trucking shows can have you riding on the edge of the seat and binge-watching one episode after another, as the nail-biting experiences that some truckers go through regularly are enough to cause even the steeliest of individuals to shake in their boots. If you’re interested in finding some of the best trucker shows available on TV today, then you’re in the right place. Read on for our thoughts on 5 amazing programs that offer the ultimate track-focused entertainment.
1. Ice Road Truckers
Ice Road Truckers is an American reality television series that originally premiered in June of 2007. It showcases the lives of truck drivers who operate across seasonal routes, navigating frozen lakes and rivers in remote Arctic territories throughout Canada and Alaska. During harsh winters, remote villages and work sites are totally cut off from the world. To keep them supplied with all of their most essential items, a tenacious group of truckers drives their rigs over vast distances (often hundreds of miles) on some of the scariest ice roads. Often the ice is unable to support the heavy rig, causing the drivers and their cargo to break through and forcing them to act quickly to avoid sinking to the bottom. Climb on board for a risky ride-along as they head straight into bone-chilling danger for the sake of those who cannot escape these icy landscapes.
2. American Trucker
American Trucker is a show on the Speed channel hosted by Robb Mariani. It has 28 episodes spanning 2 successful seasons. American Trucker results from Mariani’s desire to highlight the trucking industry and is based primarily on his knowledge and experience. The show follows him across the country as he tells the colorful stories of American truckers and their trucks. With each episode, he also shares useful tips and tricks that everyone in the trucking industry should know. Mariani and the featured guests who power the show all have a solid grasp on the many demands and difficulties that the average trucker’s lifestyle can bring, and they do their best to present these challenges honestly and realistically for their audience. If you want to find an informative and educational trucking show, then American Trucker is a great option to look into.
3. Shipping Wars
Shipping Wars is a popular reality television series that first aired in January 2012. The show followed a varied cast of rookie and seasoned independent truckers who make money by transporting large, bulky, or unusual items that traditional truckers cannot or do not transport. Each character competes for available shipments in timed auctions held by uShip, one of the world’s biggest online auction houses for independent shippers. In any given episode, the truckers will place bids on two separate shipments that have been listed online, and when the time limit runs out, the job is given to the lowest bidder. This is, of course, at the client’s discretion, as it could be awarded to a pricier bidder that maintains higher levels of feedback from previous clients. The winning bidder then loads their cargo and attempts to transport it to its destination in good condition before the deadline hits, aiming to achieve great feedback due to their efforts. If you like shows that feature a fierce competition to complete nail-biting challenges, shipping wars are the perfect option.
4. World’s Toughest Trucker
World’s Toughest Trucker is a TV show originally broadcast on Channel 5 in the United Kingdom and Discovery Channel in the United States. The show pits eight seasoned truck drivers against one another in a series of different challenges that aim to test the true skill set of each. The winning trucker will receive a whopping sum of $150,000 (US) as well as the title of ‘The World’s Toughest Trucker. The truckers who enter into the show are totally fearless, and they’re more than ready to showcase their abilities in some of the world’s most feared locations. When the show first aired, more than 60,000 hopefuls applied to participate in it, proving just how interesting and exciting the program really is. Who will come out on top as the world’s toughest trucker? Tune in to find out!
5. Highway Thru Hell
Highway Thru Hell is a documentary TV series based in Canada that details the day-to-day life of those who work for Jamie Davis Motor Trucking, which is a heavy vehicle rescue and recovery towing company. The show describes the hardships and difficulties that you can expect to face when operating along the dangerous and risky highways of the BC Interior. The show was created by Neil Thomas, who met one of Jamie Davis’ heavy rescue operators after his own large moving truck fell into difficulties along Highway 5. Neil posed the idea of a show that features heavy recovery to Jamie, who expressed a strong desire to change the public perception surrounding his industry and help people understand what it takes to be a rescue and recovery trucker. Those on the show get themselves into some seriously tricky situations, but Davis’ team has the right experience and expertise needed to provide the most productive solution every time.
Each of these truck driving shows will give you a glimpse into the trucking industry as you’ve never seen it before, so there’s no time like the present to get lost in the enthralling stories featured in each of these exciting shows. Settle in from the comfort and safety of your own home and watch some of the world’s top truckers expertly perform risky maneuvers to overcome impossible odds.