Brothers Paul and Joe Fabrini run a trucking business in California mainly hauling fruit from farms to the markets in Los Angeles. They struggle to make ends meet in the face of corrupt businessmen and intense competition. They are forced into driving long hours, and one night pick up waitress Cassie Hartley who's just quit her job at a truck stop. The three of them witness the death of a mutual acquaintance when he falls asleep at the wheel. This has a profound effect on Joe who becomes determined to find a way to make the business pay while Paul and his wife would prefer a steady job that keeps him home so they can start a family.