Jack Jessee Biography – What Happened to the Ice Road Truckers Veteran Driver

History Channel’s Ice Road Truckers brought viewers into the dangerous world of hauling freight across frozen lakes and Alaska’s remote Dalton Highway, where drivers faced whiteouts, avalanches, and subzero temperatures. Among the American truckers featured, Jack Jessee was one of the most prominent drivers on the series, known for transporting oversized loads with precision. He appeared from Seasons 3 through 6, and his 2012 load count victory marked the high point of his television career. After that milestone, the question remained: what happened to Jack Jessee once the cameras stopped rolling?

Early Life and Background

Jack Jessee was born in December 1969 in Woodlawn, Virginia. He attended Carroll County High School and later pursued studies at Wytheville Community College.

Ice Road Truckers

Jack Jessee appeared on Ice Road Truckers from Seasons 3 through 6, where he became one of the show’s most respected and accomplished drivers. Introduced in Season 3 as a 38‑year‑old Virginia native with 15 years of ice road experience, he quickly gained attention for his expertise in heavy‑haul trucking. That year, he successfully hauled 130‑foot modular pipes and oversized industrial equipment along Alaska’s Dalton Highway, a 500‑mile supply route notorious for avalanches, whiteouts, and steep grades. Jessee’s ability to handle massive loads with precision set him apart from other drivers.

In Season 4, Jessee was frequently assigned the toughest loads over the roughest stretches of the Dalton, reflecting the producers’ and companies’ trust in his reliability. Fans remember him carefully maneuvering oversized cargo through narrow passes and icy terrain, where a single mistake could prove costly. His performance reinforced his reputation as the “go-to” driver for high‑stakes hauls.

Jessee did not appear in Season 5 of Ice Road Truckers. According to information shared on the family blog, he stepped away because he felt burnt out from being filmed constantly while driving and believed the compensation offered by the production company was not enough to continue at that time. After taking a year off, he agreed to return, making his comeback in Season 6. That season became the highlight of his television career, when he won the season’s load count with 29 completed deliveries, edging out rival Darrell Ward’s 28. Episodes that year documented his grit, including a –50 °F haul off the Dalton in Episode 12 (“Battle Lines”) and the tense “Race the Melt” finale (Episode 15), where he and Ward rushed deliveries to Nuiqsut before seasonal closure.

Blog Updates During Season 6

His wife Judy marked the achievement on their family blog in September 2012, writing: “Congrats to Jack for winning the load count!” She described it as a hectic season and noted they were embarking on a month‑long road trip through the States. She also shared photos of Jack building a custom bed cover for their truck to secure belongings during travel. That same summer, in June 2012, Judy noted that Jack was hauling huge pipe sections from Valdez to Salcha, a community about 35 miles from Fairbanks. The work was part of a project to build a railroad bridge across the Tanana River, with each driver hauling two massive sections a day. She observed that while the project provided steady employment, it left Jack with only about a day and a half off each week—a tough schedule during Alaska’s short summer season.

Life After Ice Road Truckers (Ice Road Truckers Season 6, Dalton Highway driver, Carlile Transportation Alaska, Wife)

After Ice Road Truckers Season 6, Jessee did not return for Season 7 or the later Canada‑focused installments. He remained in Alaska and continued his career with Carlile Transportation in Fairbanks, maintaining a steady presence on the Dalton Highway that has kept him a respected and recognizable figure in the Alaskan trucking community long after the show ended.

In September 2019, Jessee and his wife Judy spread the ashes of their old dog Sport at a lookout point along the Dalton Highway, marking a personal moment on the same road where he built his career.

In January 2020, temperatures on the Dalton Highway dropped to around –57 °F in the far north and about –40 °F near Fairbanks. Jessee continued hauling during these extreme conditions, a reminder of the severe environments faced by truckers in Alaska even years after his time on television.

In September 2020, Jessee and his wife took a camping and hunting trip up the Dalton Highway, further showing their close connection to the road and the Alaskan outdoors. That same year, the couple launched a small business called AlaskaSnaps, producing and selling neck warmers and face shields designed for truckers and outdoor use. The products, made from fleece, cotton, and lighter fabrics, were created to protect against Alaska’s harsh conditions and quickly found popularity among drivers.

Beyond trucking, Jessee’s wife Judy established a career in real estate. Together, they expanded their presence online through a joint Instagram account and a YouTube channel, sharing snapshots of their life in Alaska and allowing fans to stay connected with his world well past the television years.

In March 2025, Jessee posted a video of himself skydiving in Hawaii, fulfilling a personal dream and underscoring his adventurous spirit. The jump highlighted that even away from television, he continues to pursue bold challenges.

Now at 54 years old, Jack Jessee lives with the same drive that defined his time on the Dalton Highway. Whether hauling loads for Carlile or freefalling from 13,000 feet, he remains the steady, daring presence that viewers admired on Ice Road Truckers, blending professionalism with a lasting zest for adventure.

Jack Jessee Wiki Bio Facts

Full Name	Jack Jessee
Date of Birth	December 1969
Age	54 years old
Birthplace	Woodlawn, Virginia, USA
Nationality	American
Education	Carroll County High School; Wytheville Community College
Occupation	Trucker, Reality TV Personality
Known For	Ice Road Truckers (Seasons 3, 4, 6)
Employer	Carlile Transportation, Fairbanks, Alaska
Spouse	Judy Jessee
Business	Co-founder of AlaskaSnaps (2020)
Notable Achievement	Winner of Season 6 load count (2012) with 29 deliveries
Current Residence	Fairbanks, Alaska