Call me a dumb, but I've driven several trucks on the ice on Winni for many years. I've also not driven a truck on the ice many years. Understanding what kind of ice you have is key. Black ice is obviously the safest. Here are some guidelines I use.
1) what other vehicles have been out on the ice. I am never the first truck on the ice
2) drill holes along the path to my destination and record ice quality and thickness.
3) recent weather. Have there been recent thaws?
I wouldn't drive a truck on the ice with fewer than 12" solid ice. Recent years have not been good. I haven't had a truck on the ice since 2006 or 2007 I think.
When I was younger and more foolish I was careless and lucky. I probably drove on 10 inches of ice. In fact one at really dumb moment I drove onto the ice at Brewster Beach in Wolfeboro in my brother's Ford Bronco (sure as hell wasn't taking MY truck out there
), I drove straight across the broads to Meredith. At one point I hit a pressure ridge that I didn't even SEE until I was about 4 feet from it (everything was covered in snow). Fortunately the truck had a good size rancho suspension/lift kit and big tires on it. That truck was AIRBORN. When I arrived in Meredith Bay I stopped about 100 yards from a group of ice fishermen. I walked over and asked where a good place to get off the lake was. They said "probably where you came on". I replied "I came on in Wolfeboro". They looked at me wide eyed and said "Then I guess you can get off wherever you damn please!"
I'm older and wiser now, I think. I snowmobile to where I ice fish. Typically if I take a truck out it;s after a day or two of becoming very familiar with the ice conditions.