Trucking isn't an easy job, and if there's one show that proved that, it's The History Channel's Ice Road Truckers. It featured talented truck driver celebs, such as Hugh Rowland, Alex Debogorski, Darrell Ward, and Art Burke. While this is mainly a male-dominated industry, the reality TV show brought on a number of women that broke the mold and proved they were just as capable.
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Lisa Kelly was the first female driver to join IRT, and we later saw Maya Sieber come along. However, one of the youngest women to be featured on the show was Steph "Hammer Down" Custance. She was only 22 years old when she first started during the 10th season. Her boss at the time and owner of Polar Industries, Mark Kohaykewych, put her on to the show with less than a year of experience on the road, but Steph was ready for the challenge of the arctic winter roads.
Remembering Steph Custance's Stint on IRT
Stephanie Custance experienced her first frozen lake ice crossing in Alaska back in 2016 with experienced driver Todd Dewey, who helped show her the ropes. It didn't take her very long to get a handle on the big rig, and before we knew it, she was out on her own putting the hammer down.
Driving through these winter roads is no easy task, but Steph handled herself quite well considering her lack of experience. During the two years that she was televised, we saw her get into some sticky situations, handle tough cargo, but most importantly, she got the jobs done. There's no denying that this girl is a natural behind the wheel.
Although she was only on the show for two seasons, she proved her skills rather quickly and became a fan favorite. Stephanie is a single mother, so it wasn't exactly easy to go out and work in Canada and Alaska, but it paid off quite well for the time she invested. As of 2021, her net worth is estimated to be right around $800,000, so I'd say she made the right career move.
It's always cool to see women, especially this young, go out and accomplish what they are truly capable of. Judging from her social media, you'll still find Steph's life today revolving around the semi trucks, and I think it'll likely stay that way for many more years to come.
This post was originally published on November 24, 2020.
