The Source for Trucking News, Opinions and Trucking Jobs | Trucking to Alaska

I’m still learning about the business side of trucking and this trip definitely added to my education. Apparently, most anything going to Alaska is paid enough for the truck to go empty back to Seattle. Which came to $1.73 a (practical) mile. With fuel ranging from $2.23 a gallon (US) at the new Flying J in Edmonton, AB to $3.17 (US) in northern BC, and more in the Yukon, plus $75 (US) trip permit for Yukon (one-way) and Permits in Alaska – $340, expenses start to eat into any good rate. But for the trip of a lifetime, I had to do it at least once, no matter what.

I was hoping for cheap fuel in Alaska since they can tap right into the pipeline, but according to one fuel stop owner, fuel used to be cheap in Alaska until, the single refinery in Alaska was bought by someone else and they determine the price for the entire state. And they think Alaska should pay the same as the lower 48. (Meaning: They want more profit.) But even $2.52 a gallon in Tok, Ak is more than most in the States. It’s a little cheaper in Anchorage, but not by much.

Most of the trucks leave Alaska empty because there is nothing manufactured in Alaska that anyone exports. Anything that’s exported is either on boat (container) or locked in by a few trucking companies that are based in Alaska. About the only export is household and I was lucky enough to get one (if nothing changes between now and than), so if everything goes well, this trip up north should pay pretty well.

The road itself is a tough road to make good time on. If you take a
trip up here, pack plenty of patience! It’s a long windy, two lane
road. A good bit of RV traffic to keep things interesting and
incredible scenery to pass the time. The Alcan is paved, except for
construction areas. Which there are plenty. We hit at least one a day.
When they are doing construction on a two lane road, only one direction
can go by at a time. From what I could tell, when they redo a road,
they tear it up and start over. Traffic was still going over the same
path or off to the side and on dirt. Not very smooth dirt either. With
so little room, the pilot cars would guide us between the heavy
equipment and we would have to wait for equipment to move out of the
way sometimes.

The road that isn’t under construction probably needs to be! The last
200 miles in the Yukon to Alaska had some of the worst natural speed
bumps. Go too fast over 50 mph and the truck felt like
it was going airborne! Had to slow down there also.

Most of the regular trucks (as opposed to the tourists like us!) aren’t
on CB, they use VHF ham radios. The CB was pretty quite most of the
time. The RV’ers were generally pretty nice and would come up on channel
19 and ask if we wanted to go around. They would move over and slow
down a little so we could get around easily. There are passing lanes,
but not enough, so I thought that was nice of them.

I’m no expert here, but this is what I learned on my first trip to
Alaska and from talking to truckers that do this all the time, the two
fuel stop owners in Tok and the Alaska DOT inspector that gave me a
level 1 inspection. Who was the coolest DOT Trooper I’ve ever met! The regulars know to call ahead on the CB and talk to him before they get there. He’ll ask them what they’re hauling and if it’s real light, he’ll tell them on the CB to go on by. While I was getting inspected, another driver stops in just to chat. It was really neat how neighborly everyone is. And really educational about the everyday life and the hard work it is to live in this area. Anchorage may be different but out in the rural areas like Tok it sounded pretty rough just trying to make a living.

I was lucky enough not to break down. (But
we’re not back yet!). I probably wasn’t as prepared as I should have been, but my truck has been pretty reliable. I can see how even a small problem can turn into a big, expensive problem real quick. So far, it’s been the trip of a life time. If we
do this again, I’ll get the radio that ‘regulars’ have and stock up on
CD’s (XM starts cutting out north of Edmonton).  FM and AM is real scarce and stop checking your cell phone, because it’s not going to work until you get to Anchorage!

Pictures and our personal journal are at Adventures In Trucking.com

Originally posted 2005-06-30 19:31:17.