Commercial Driver's License (CDL) Films

This is mainly about the world of having a Class A: Commercial Driver's License (CDL). 

18 Wheels of Justice (2000-2001)
Based on 18 Wheels of Justice by Ray Brown [First Published in 1997]. Michael Cates is an agent for the US Justice Department who loses his family to an assassination attempt by organized crime boss Jacob Calder. Michael goes undercover/into hiding as a truck driver Chance Bowman as he travels the country helping people and disrupting Calder's business when he can.

Big Trouble In Little China (1986)

Trucker driver Jack Burton is in San Franciso while in town his friend Wang Chi when finance is kidnapped, and Jacks truck is stolen by a street gang called The Lords of Death for an ancient evil wizard can break a curse placed on him. The two hero's go on a supernatural journey through China Town to save the girl, get the truck back, and stop the evil wizard from threatening the world again.

BJ and the Bear (1978-1981)

BJ is an independent truck driver hauling cargo with his pet chimpanzee Bear. They get into trouble and adventures while helping people he runs into. 

Black Dog (1998)
Jack Crews is just out of prison for vehicular manslaughter and is working as a mechanic in New Jersey. In need of money and about to lose his house Jack decides to take a sketchy job to drive a load from Atlanta, Georgia to New Jersey. While on the road Jack has to fight off hijackers and avoid the FBI, ATF, and the Police. 

Breaker! Breaker! (1977)

Truck driver John David Dawes is searching for his brother a fellow trucker who disappeared in a corrupt town under the control of a criminal Judge and Sheriffs dept.

C.B. Hustlers (1976)

Truckers and pimps use C.B. to set meetings and avoid law enforcement. 

Christmas Comes to Willow Creek (1987)

Willow Creek, Alaska is going through a tough time with the main employer going out of business. So, the Mayor and city council hire a pair of brothers from the town to bring up a load of Christmas presents for the towns children and supplies to start a new business venture. The brothers as well as a son and pregnant wife join the pair on the trip to Alaska. 

Convoy (1978)

Starting in Arizona Martin Penwald aka Rubber Duck and a couple of fellow truckers are caught in a trap set up by Sheriff Lyle. After paying off the sheriff they stop at a diner for food and to meet with friends, or family. At the dinner Martin picks up a hitchhiker Melissa a photojournalist. While this is happening Sheriff Lyle starts to harass the truckers resulting in a fight. Wanting to avoid being arrested the truckers head east. Their story is heard by other truckers a mile long convoy is creating a political rally so their grievances can be addressed.  On the other side Sherriff Lyle draws support from law enforcement to stop the convoy. When one of the truckers leaves the convoy to attend the birth of his child; he is arrested. Martin destroys the jail and the town before heading to Mexico to escape. Resulting in a final standoff between Martin and the law. 

Deadhead Miles (1972)

A group of criminals hijack a semi and get it repainted and altered. One of the men Cooper steals the truck again and tries to make some fast money as a trucker. After a series of failures, he abandons the truck and his plans and goes on his way. 

Duel (1971)

Based on the short story Duel by Richard Matheson [First Published in 1971]. Businessman David Mann gets into a road rage incident with a tractor trailer while on a long trip. The driver of the truck starts to chase, and torment David as he tries to get to his destination. 

Flatbed Annie & Sweetiepie: Lady Truckers (1979)

After Sweetiepie's husband is injures, she partners with Flatbed Annie to finish a contract. Unknown to them a load of cocaine has been hidden with the cargo and various groups are after it. 

The Great Smokey Roadblock aka The Last of the Cowboys (1977)

Elegant John is dying from a terminal illness in California decides to take one last trip cross country. While on his trip he picks up a hitchhiker and a job transporting six prostitutes and their madam to South Carolina because their house has been shut down. While on the way the girls decide to make some money along the way. Which results in law enforcement chase them and set up a roadblock. 

Hell Drivers (1957)
Tom Yately is beginning a fresh start by driving for Hawlett Trucking Company. Hawlett is a difficult employer that will get rid of an employee for not being productive enough. Tom does well and even attempts to beat a company record. However, a friend of Tom's is hurt on the job and punished for it. Tom decides to expose the illegal activates Hawlett Trucking is involved with.

High Ballin' (1978)

Local boss King Carroll is driving independent truckers out of business. When a pair of truckers stand up to him resulting to a violent conflict. 

Hijack (1973)

A pair of truckers is hired to transport a secret cargo from New York, New York to Huston, Texas. While they make the trip a mercenary team tries to steal the cargo. In the end it is revealed the truck was a decoy.  

Hi-Jacked (1950)

Parolee Joe Harper is working for a trucking line when his truck is hijacked. Due to his past, he becomes main suspect and has to clear his name or pay for a crime he did not commit.

Hoffa (1992)
Based on the life of Jimmy Hoffa a labor Union leader that had success in creating a successful and powerful labor union and got involved with organized crime before disappearing in 1972.  

The Ice Road (2021)
After a mine disaster in Northern Canada that traps 26 miners. To save the miners a plan is created but requires special equipment to be delivered over ice roads and a frozen lake. Four trucker's volunteer for the mission under the leadership of Mike McCaan. However, someone is out to sabotage the mission.  

Ice Road Terror (2011)

Truckers driving across frozen Alaska encounter an ancient creature, The people that encounter the creature try and survive. 

Joy Ride (2001)

Brothers Fuller and Lewis are on a trip from California to New Jersey and to pick up a friend along the way. Play a mean prank on a trucker that goes by Rusty Nail. After the prank goes wrong the brothers continue on their trip and pick up a friend. However, Rusty Nail found them and starts to take revenge on them. At the time of writing this there are two sequels Joy Ride 2: Dead Ahead (2008), and Joy Ride 3: Road Kill (2014) which has Rusty Nail still on the road.  

The Long Haul (1957)

Based on the novel The Long Haul by Mervyn Mills [First Published in 1956]. After WWII ends Harry Miller American solider settles with his English wife in Liverpool, England. He takes a job as a long-distance trucker and runs into trouble with a criminal organization trying to take over the industry.

Movin On (1974-1976)

Sonny Pruitt is an experienced independent long-haul trucker that teams up with a recent college graduate Will Chandler to haul cargo and keep his operation going. 

Over The Top (1987)

Lincoln Hawk is an independent owner/operator of a semi-truck that arm wrestles on a semi pro basis. When his ex-wife Christina Hawk is going to have major surgery, she reaches out to Hawk to spend time with their son Michael. The two have a rough start but bond as they travel the country. When Christina dies a custody disagreement between Hawk and Michaels Grandfather gets heated. To stay with his son, he enters the World Arm Wrestling Championship in Las Vegas, Naveda to win a cash prize and a new semi-truck. 

Paradise Highway (2022)

To save her brother's life Sally a truck driver aggresses to smuggle illegal cargo. This last trip involves taking a young girl. The FBI are working to stop the smuggling operation. 

Red Ball Express (1952)

In 1944 General Patton's third army is making rapid advancement toward Paris. To keep the army supplied the allies create an elite unit and convoy to get supplies where it is needed. 

Revenge on the Highway (1992)

Claude Sams son is killed in a hit and run while changing a tire while changing a tire on his way to Las Vegas. Believing that it was a murder rather than an accident, Claude searchers for the driver to get justice or revenge. 

Road Movie (1973)

Independent truckers Gil and Hank struggle to live as they have to pay the bank, bribe traffic managers, deal with the law and make the deliveries on time. 

Smokey and the Bandit (1977), Smokey and the Bandit II (1980), Smokey and the Bandit III (1983) 

The first three movies in the franchise have the Bandit played by Burt Reynolds driving a Pontiac Trans AM fast to draw out the smokeys while his brother drives the rig with the illicit cargo. The basic story line has Big Enos and Little Enos making bets on whether Bandit can deliver his cargo on time. Sherrif Buford T. Justice tries to catch the Bandit. 

Smokey and the Bandit: Bandit Goes Country (1994), Bandit: Bandit, Bandit (1994), Bandit: Beauty and the Bandit (1994), Bandit: Bandit's The Silver Angel (1994) 

For this part of the franchise The Bandit is played by Brain Bloom and drives a Dodge Sleath. In this spinoff the Bandit is an independent owner operator that hauls cargo, helps the people he meets along the way.

Snitch (2013)

Business owner and family man John Matthews's son is arrested and facing 10 years in prison. John makes a deal to help a DA and the DEA to get his son released from prison. 

Sorcerer (1977)

Based on the book The Wages of Fear by Georges Arnaud [First Published in 1950]. Four men from different parts of the world are hiding out in South America. When an oil refinery fire requires dynamite to be transported up a narrow rough trail. The four men take the job for money as well as for something they need. They are provided two old trucks Sorcerer and Lazaro to transport the dynamite. While on the trail they face many dangers including their unstable cargo.

Space Truckers (1996)

Space truckers John Canyon is having a rough time, so he takes a job transporting strange cargo from an irreputable source that turns out to be killer robots.

Steel Cowboy (1978)

About to lose his truck independent trucker Clayton Pfanner decides to make some quick cash by taking a job transporting a load of rustled cattle. 

Teamster Boss: The Jackie Presser Story (1992)
After Jimmy Hoffa disappears the top position of the Teamsters Union is vacant. Jackie Presser a long time official in the union takes over as union president. 

They Drive By Night (1940)

Based on the book They Drive By Night (Long Haul) by I. A. Bezzerides [First Published in 1938]. Joe and Paul Fabrini are brothers that operate as independent truckers. When overwork and exhaustion cost them their truck, and Paul loses an arm. Joe gets a management position with a trucking company gets Paul a job as well. As Joe works his way up to part owner of the company, he is accused of murder he did not commit and is put on trial. 

Thieves' Highway (1949)

Based on the book Thieves' Market by A.I. Bezzerides [First Published in 1949]. WWII veteran Nick Garcos has come home from war to take over his father's truck hauling produce in Southern California. Only to find a rival has injured his father and is intent on sabotaging Nick.

Think Big (1989)

Twins Rafe and Victor have been hired to take a load of toxic waste to California from a tech company that uses teen geniuses. One of the teens Holly Sherwood stows away with an invention on the truck to get to her boyfriend in California. The brothers decide to help her and the three of them try to stay one step ahead of a repo man, company men after the device, before the deadline.

Thunder Run (1985)

Veteran of the Korean War Charlie Morrison takes a large payment to transport a load of plutonium form Nevada processing plant to a high security location in Arizona. While making the delivery terrorist try to steal the cargo.  

Truckers Woman (1975)

Mike Kelly is a college student whose father was killed in a strange accident. Believing it was a murder Mike drops out of college gets a semi and investigates on his own. 

The Wages of Fear (1953)

Based on the book The Wages of Fear by Georges Arnaud [First Published in 1950]. Four men are hired to transport dynamite to stop an oil refinery fire. While on the road they face mental and physical danger including their unstable cargo. 

White Line Fever (1975)

After completing his enlistment with the US Air Force CJ comes home to marry his girl start their life together.  CJ buys a rig and starts a new career as an independent trucker out of Tucson, AZ. When he discovers that the main employer is shipping contraband CJ refuses to cooperate. Making it more difficult for him. When his wife is attacked, house set fire to, and a friend of his killed he attacks the organization with his rig and a shot gun starting a movement with the truckers refusing to haul contraband for the business that attacked CJ and his family.