What Is Reno Ward Doing Now?

Reno Ward is one of those Ice Road Truckers names that still gets searched because his story was never only about television. It was about family, trucking, loss, legacy, and the question many fans still ask years later: what is Reno Ward doing now?

Disclaimer and sources

This article is based only on publicly available information from reliable sources, including official TV listings, public business profiles, company information, and FMCSA carrier records.

ELDT Nation is not affiliated with Reno Ward, Darrell Ward, Ward Industries LLC, Ice Road Truckers, HISTORY, A&E Networks, or any related production company. The article does not claim to confirm Reno Ward’s private life, daily schedule, finances, family details, or future TV plans. Public records and business listings can change, so this page should be read as a sourced public update, not a personal biography.

This article is editorial and informational only. Reno Ward, Darrell Ward’s estate or family, Ward Industries LLC, Ice Road Truckers, HISTORY, A&E Networks, Polar Industries, and any related production company have not endorsed, sponsored, reviewed, approved, or partnered with ELDT Nation or its courses.

Sources used: HISTORY’s official Ice Road Truckers Season 11 episode listings, Ward Industries’ official website, the Better Business Bureau profile for Ward Industries LLC, and FMCSA SAFER carrier records for Ward Industries LLC.

The information in this article is based on publicly available sources reviewed as of May 13, 2026. Public business records, TV listings, carrier records, and company profiles can change over time, so this article should be understood as a sourced public update based on the information available on that date.

Who is Reno Ward?

Reno Ward became known to many Ice Road Truckers fans because he is Darrell Ward’s son. Darrell Ward was one of the most recognizable drivers from the show’s later years, remembered for his direct personality, confidence under pressure, and strong connection to real trucking work.

Reno was not only a post-2016 name. Season 8 listings show Darrell teaching Reno how to drive the ice roads in the 2014 episode “Icing on the Lake.”

Many fans, however, most strongly remember Reno Ward’s later Season 11 appearance because it came after Darrell Ward’s death in 2016. That later appearance carried a very different emotional weight. Reno was not simply another driver entering the show. He was Darrell Ward’s son returning to a public trucking story that viewers already associated with his father.

That is why Reno Ward still receives search interest years later. His story combines a real father-son trucking connection, a remembered reality TV appearance, and a public business footprint that still connects the Ward name with trucks, equipment, land, roads, and Montana contractor work.

The training information below is provided by ELDT Nation and is separate from the public update about Reno Ward.

Reno Ward’s connection to Darrell Ward

Darrell Ward died in a plane crash on August 28, 2016. AP reporting stated that the crash killed Ward of Deer Lodge and pilot Mark Melotz of Arlee. Darrell had been planning to film a pilot for a new documentary show involving the recovery of airplane wrecks.

For Reno Ward’s story, the most important point is what came after. His later appearance on Ice Road Truckers was viewed through the memory of his father’s role on the show. For longtime viewers, Reno’s presence carried emotional weight because it connected directly to Darrell’s legacy.

Darrell Ward had built a strong identity in the Ice Road Truckers world before his death. Viewers remembered him as practical, experienced, direct, and comfortable with difficult hauling conditions. When Reno appeared again in Season 11, many fans saw more than another driver. They saw a son connected to one of the show’s most remembered figures.

Reno Ward on Ice Road Truckers

Reno Ward’s show history should be understood in two parts: his earlier Season 8 appearance and his later, more emotionally remembered Season 11 appearance.

In Season 8, Reno was already part of the Ice Road Truckers story. Prime Video’s listing for “Icing on the Lake” says Darrell continued teaching Reno how to drive the ice roads, while Rotten Tomatoes also describes Darrell teaching Reno in the same episode.

In Season 11, Reno returned in a much more emotionally charged context. HISTORY’s Season 11 listing confirms Reno Ward’s appearance in “The Son Rises” and identifies him as Darrell Ward’s 23-year-old son. The same Season 11 episode list also includes Reno in “Of Ice and Men” and “One Last Lick.”

That Season 11 appearance is the one many fans remember most clearly. It came after Darrell’s death, and it placed Reno in a storyline connected to a major Polar Industries load.

Overdrive’s 2017 coverage added another detail that made the episode stand out: Reno drove Darrell Ward’s old truck. The report also said Reno helped with one of the largest loads in the show’s history, while Lisa Kelly hauled the building itself and Mark Koyhaykewych drove the pilot truck. Reno hauled another flatbed of materials for the load.

That image stayed with viewers because, in trucking culture, a truck can be more than equipment. It can carry years of work, personal pride, driver habits, repairs, road history, and family meaning. Seeing Reno tied to Darrell’s old truck made the episode feel personal without needing to turn it into speculation.

What is Reno Ward doing now in 2026?

Reno Ward is connected with Ward Industries LLC.

Ward Industries publicly presents its work across several field-service areas, including forest management, excavation, road construction, trucking, and fencing. Its website also connects the company with material hauling, heavy-haul support, lowboy work, road-access projects, culverts, snow plowing, water-line work, foundations, and septic-related excavation.

Is Reno Ward still driving trucks?

Public information supports the idea that trucking remains part of the business world connected to Reno Ward, but it does not clearly confirm his exact personal driving schedule.

For fans asking whether Reno completely left trucking behind after Ice Road Truckers, the available public record does not suggest a clean break from the industry. It points toward a different version of trucking life: business, equipment, land work, contractor services, and transportation support.

Why fans still ask after the show’s return

When a show like Ice Road Truckers returns, fans naturally revisit older names. They search for Lisa Kelly, Darrell Ward, Alex Debogorski, Hugh Rowland, Todd Dewey, Mike Simmons, and others connected to earlier seasons. Reno Ward fits that pattern because his name sits close to one of the show’s most emotional storylines.

Reno also fits a different kind of curiosity. Some cast members remained highly visible. Others became quieter public figures. Reno’s current public profile is much quieter than many reality TV personalities, but his connection to Darrell Ward and Ward Industries keeps fans searching.

That continued interest shows why Reno Ward remains a searched name among Ice Road Truckers viewers, even without a confirmed current television role.

What happened to Darrell Ward?

Darrell Ward died in a plane crash on August 28, 2016. AP reported that the crash killed Ward of Deer Lodge and pilot Mark Melotz of Arlee. The report also stated that Ward had been planning to film a pilot for a new documentary show involving the recovery of airplane wrecks.

Darrell’s death changed how many fans viewed Reno Ward’s later appearance on the show. For longtime viewers, Reno’s Season 11 presence carried emotional weight because it connected directly to Darrell’s legacy.

The training information below is provided by ELDT Nation and is separate from the public update about Reno Ward.

Why Darrell Ward’s legacy still follows Reno Ward

Darrell Ward’s legacy still follows Reno because Darrell became one of the memorable later-era faces of Ice Road Truckers. Fans associated him with experience, confidence, straight talk, and the practical demands of difficult trucking work.

That is why Reno Ward’s story still matters to fans. He may not have become a highly public entertainment figure, but his name remains tied to a father-son trucking story that many viewers remember.

The Ward trucking story after 2016

The Ward trucking story after 2016 includes several separate pieces that are easy to confuse.

There was Darrell Ward’s trucking work and his D Ward Trucking partnership with Lisa Kelly. There was Reno Ward’s appearance on Ice Road Truckers after Darrell’s death. And there is Ward Industries LLC, the Montana company publicly connected to Reno Ward today.

Those pieces are related by family, trucking, and public history, but they should not automatically be treated as one uninterrupted legal business line unless a source proves that.

The pre-show Ward family business and Montana base

The Ward story was rooted in Montana long before and beyond television.

Darrell Ward lived just outside Deer Lodge, Montana, and ran his trucking company there.

That detail matters because Ice Road Truckers can make drivers feel like characters in a TV world. But the Ward story was also connected to real work, real equipment, real communities, and real business operations.

Where other Ice Road Truckers cast members are now

Lisa Kelly

Lisa Kelly remains one of the most recognizable names from Ice Road Truckers. HISTORY’s Season 12 material identifies Lisa Kelly as one of the fan-favorite veterans returning to the ice, teaming up with newcomer Scooter Yuill at Muskie Creek.

Todd Dewey

Todd Dewey also returned for Season 12. HISTORY’s Season 12 article identifies him alongside Lisa Kelly as a returning veteran.

Hugh Rowland

Hugh Rowland remains one of the best-known original-era names from Ice Road Truckers. Deadline’s Season 12 announcement noted that Hugh starred in the show’s first eight seasons.

Alex Debogorski

Alex Debogorski remains one of the most iconic names associated with the original run of the series. However, current Season 12 materials highlight returning veterans Lisa Kelly and Todd Dewey, not Alex Debogorski.

Mike Simmons

Mike Simmons is one of the names fans may search for when looking up older Ice Road Truckers cast members, but there is limited reliable current public information about his 2026 work status.

What happened to Ice Road Truckers?

Ice Road Truckers originally ran for 11 seasons through 2017 before returning in 2025. Variety reported that the series was never officially canceled, but after Season 11, cast members said in interviews they were not asked to return.

The show came back for Season 12 after eight years off the air. Deadline reported that the new season would air on October 1, 2025, with truckers returning to treacherous terrain in Northern Canada to deliver crucial supplies.

That return explains why older names are being searched again. When a show comes back after a long hiatus, fans naturally revisit old storylines, former drivers, and unresolved questions.

Reno Ward is part of that renewed curiosity.

What Reno Ward’s story shows about real trucking careers

Reno Ward’s story is useful for ELDT Nation readers because it shows that trucking can lead beyond one job title.

A CDL path can connect to many types of work:

• Heavy hauling
• Construction logistics
• Excavation support
• Forest management hauling
• Local and regional transport
• Raw material transportation
• Road construction support
• Owner-operator work
• Contractor businesses
• Equipment transport

For someone considering trucking, that matters. A CDL can open the door to more than long-haul freight. It can support construction companies, forestry work, heavy equipment operations, rural service businesses, municipal work, and specialized transportation.

Reality TV shows the extreme version, but real trucking starts with training

Ice Road Truckers shows the extreme version of the industry. It focuses on frozen roads, isolated routes, bad weather, mechanical pressure, dangerous conditions, and oversized loads.

That makes good television, but most real trucking careers start in a much more structured way.

New drivers begin by learning:

• CDL rules
• Vehicle inspection
• Safe driving procedures
• Hours-of-service awareness
• Cargo securement
• Air brake basics
• Hazard recognition
• Road rules
• Professional decision-making

Trucking is not only about being brave. It is about being qualified, consistent, safe, and legally prepared.

That is where ELDT matters.

FMCSA explains that Entry-Level Driver Training regulations set baseline training requirements for entry-level drivers seeking a Class A or Class B CDL for the first time, upgrading from Class B to Class A, or obtaining certain endorsements for the first time.

Why CDL training matters before bigger opportunities

A story like Reno Ward’s may inspire people because it connects trucking with family legacy, specialized work, and business ownership. But before any driver can chase bigger opportunities, the foundation has to be right.

The Training Provider Registry explains that ELDT regulations set minimum federal requirements that entry-level drivers must complete before being permitted to take certain CDL skills or knowledge tests.

That means training is not just a formality. It is part of the legal and professional starting point for many new CDL paths.

Before a driver thinks about ice roads, heavy hauling, lowboys, construction logistics, or owner-operator work, the first step is learning the rules, passing the required training, and building safe habits.

For readers inspired by stories like Reno Ward’s, the path does not start on an ice road. It starts with the basics.

What new drivers can learn from Reno Ward’s public journey

Legacy matters, but skill matters more

Coming from a trucking family can create early exposure to equipment, long workdays, driving culture, and job-site discipline. But legacy does not replace skill.

Every driver still has to learn how to inspect equipment, follow regulations, drive safely, manage risk, communicate professionally, and make calm decisions under pressure.

A family name may create interest. Skill creates credibility.

Trucking can become a business foundation

Ward Industries shows how trucking can connect with broader business activity. Trucks can support excavation, road construction, forest management, fencing, demolition, site preparation, and snow removal.

That is one of the most useful lessons for new drivers.

A CDL can be more than a job credential. For some people, it becomes the first building block of a business.

Public reputation follows drivers and businesses

Trucking is a trust-based industry.

Customers, contractors, dispatchers, shippers, brokers, and communities remember reliability. They remember who shows up, who communicates, who handles equipment carefully, who solves problems, and who can be trusted with difficult work.

That applies to company drivers. It applies to owner-operators. It applies to contractor businesses.

A CDL can open the door, but reputation keeps the door open.

The training information below is provided by ELDT Nation and is separate from the public update about Reno Ward.

Did Lisa Kelly and Darrell Ward date?

No reliable public source confirms that Lisa Kelly and Darrell Ward dated.

The better-supported answer is that they were close trucking partners and friends. Public sources connect Lisa Kelly and Darrell Ward through their work on Ice Road Truckers and through a trucking partnership during the show’s run, but that is not the same as a confirmed romantic relationship.

This distinction matters because fans often search for “did Darrell Ward and Lisa Kelly date?” after seeing their strong working relationship on screen. A close trucking partnership, shared risk, and real trust can easily create rumors, but no reliable source confirms a romantic relationship.

For more context, read the full Lisa Kelly and Darrell Ward story.

All show names, network names, company names, and trademarks are used only for factual identification and remain the property of their respective owners.