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Today we sat down with Karolina Plecha, a truck driver living in Norway. She shares insights on life on the road, the future of electric vehicles, and what she does to prepare for unpredictable weather conditions.
Ever thought about trucking in the Arctic?
Meet Karolina Plecha, a Polish trucker who swapped city roads for icy mountain passes in Northern Norway.
She’s navigating blizzards, dodging moose, and chasing the Northern Lights, literally. Her life is part trucker, part tour guide, all adventure.
"I'm originally from Poland and I’ve always believed that it’s important to have a profession that gives you independence – something you can do anywhere in the world, even if you don’t speak the local language. I’ve always been fascinated by big vehicles and the idea of driving a truck in remote places. When I moved to Northern Norway – to the Arctic – I started working as a Northern Lights guide. I quickly noticed there was a huge need for drivers, especially bus drivers for tourists. That was my motivation to finish my truck driving license, which I had already started in Poland, and also to get a bus license. That’s how my journey in logistics started. In the wintertime, I worked as a bus driver and Northern Lights guide, and in the summer – when there’s no aurora because of the Midnight Sun – I began working with trucks. I was trained, got behind the wheel... and I was hooked. I fell in love with this job, the road, the solitude behind the wheel. Today, I combine both passions – I drive trucks, buses, and guide tourists chasing the aurora. I also have my own tourism company, where I want to show people the real Arctic – the fjords, the snowstorms, the Northern Lights, and life in winter that’s far from what you see in books."
"The biggest challenges are definitely the extreme weather conditions, especially in the Arctic. Here in the north, winter means heavy snowfalls, blizzards, strong winds, icy roads, black ice, and temperatures dropping to –40°C. On top of that, you have very narrow and winding roads, steep climbs, routes along cliffs, and tight tunnels where you have to pass through with a 50-ton truck. There are no highways in the north – just regular roads, but they’re demanding, often snowy, and not always cleared. You’re constantly working with the truck – checking grip, monitoring weather, and making quick decisions. This is tough, raw work – it’s not what people see on social media, it’s real life, and every day on the road can be a new challenge."
"In the Arctic, winter is a normal life – and you need to be prepared for anything. I always carry a warm jacket, trousers, several pairs of gloves, warm socks, and a sleeping bag or bedding to stay warm if something goes wrong. In the truck, I have a flashlight, a gas burner, hammer, shovel, thermos, extra fuel, and snow chains. Chains become your best friend – you need to know when and how to use them to avoid sliding off the road or to get up a hill. Some trucks have studded tires, but they’re only allowed in Northern Norway, and not every truck has them. I also have on-spots, which help in tricky situations. There’s no room for hesitation here – you need to act immediately because in these conditions, nature doesn’t give you a second chance."
"In Norway, there are no time restrictions or driving bans – transport operates 24/7, regardless of time or weather. The 25.25-meter-long truck combinations can only drive on designated routes, but smaller combinations can go practically anywhere – and I mean anywhere. We drive trucks on roads that look like driveways to a single house – narrow, winding, no shoulders, often along fjords or through mountains. Many times, I have only 30 cm of asphalt on each side, and passing other trucks often means reversing on ice to the nearest passing place. This is not for casual drivers. You need strong nerves, quick reflexes, and real experience – every kilometer here can be a challenge."
"The most pleasant? I live exactly where I always wanted to – mountains, ocean, snow, ice, the Northern Lights – that’s my daily life. I love winter, silence, peace, and life at the edge of the world. Here, life is slower and closer to nature. Every day I feel like I’m in the right place – surrounded by space, nature, and a sense of freedom. The hardest part? Getting used to the Midnight Sun. From mid-May to late July, the sun doesn’t set at all, and from April to August it’s light almost 24/7. During the wintertime, during the Polar Night, we still get around 3–4 hours of daylight – the sun stays below the horizon, but we have twilight. It’s a different rhythm of life, and you need to adapt."
"I love driving, and I’m happy being alone on the road. Empty roads, snow, reindeer, silence – it calms me. I work flexibly – sometimes 2–5 days on the road, then 2–5 days at home. It depends on the job, and how I feel physically and mentally. My partner also works in transport, so he completely understands how this life works. When I’m home, we spend time together fully and intentionally. For me, that’s more valuable than being together every day but not really connecting."
"Once, I almost slid into a fjord. As I was leaving a delivery, it was so icy that the truck wouldn’t turn, and I started sliding – just a few meters from the water. Another time, driving a 25-meter combination downhill, the trailer started overtaking me. And then there was a moose... I was sleeping during a break with the doors open because the sun had heated up the cabin. I woke up to a strange sound – looked over and saw a moose nose peeking inside. He was standing there, sniffing, looking around. I was scared, he was scared – since then I know, in the Arctic, a moose is more likely to visit your truck than a human."
"Electric trucks are both in southern and northern Norway – but they’re not an ideal solution for these conditions. They work well on short routes, between warehouses, or in cities. At work – driving 800 km a day, in snow, frost, and mountain roads – they just don’t work. There are charging stations in the Arctic, but not enough. The whole charging process and the conditions simply don’t match the reality I work in. That’s why most drivers rely on traditional, proven trucks – reliable no matter the weather or distance."
Thrill-seekers like Karolina, constantly looking for challenges, pushing their limits, and stepping out of their comfort zone- are the backbone of this industry.
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