Characters
ELI "BYRDIE" PERKINS - early-30’s, smart, attractive, Vanderbilt Law School grad. She is a junior attorney at a Los Angeles law firm that specializes in corporate litigation on the partner track. Her mom and dad taught her through example to be self reliant, hard working with a don’t-give-up attitude. Her dad was away a lot growing up because he owned and operated one of the 5 largest independent trucking companies in Southern California. This caused relationship tensions between them and subconsciously shaped her view on family and work.
DEAN “RUBBER DUCK” PERKINS - mid-50’s, dad of Eli. Smart, hardworking, loving father/husband, no nonsense owner of an independent trucking firm (top 5) in Southern California. Although he is the owner, he wears a bunch of hats in the company and still drives one of the trucks on occasion to not only help the company out, but also to stay relevant to the trucking industry. He did his best to be in Byrdie's life, but the demands of him running his business caused him to miss a lot of Eli growing up. He wants nothing more than to reconnect with his daughter and strengthen their relationship.
RONALD TRASK - 70’s, billionaire CEO of a massive conglomerate called The Trask Corporation with stakes in transportation, energy, and space exploration. Trask is a ruthless businessman who sees truckers as outdated obstacles (inefficient & resistant to technological progress) to the future of logistics, which he believes lies in autonomous driving trucks. His goal is to monopolize the trucking industry with his self-driving technology, allowing him to dominate the entire supply chain while cutting labor costs to maximize profit. He’s willing to do whatever it takes, including leveraging his power to influence legislation that crushes traditional trucking firms.
KENNY “SODBUSTER” NEWMAN - 35-50 yrs old, drives for Rubber Duck’s trucking company. Openly gay and unashamed, Sodbuster uses sharp wit and humor to defuse tense situations and challenge stereotypes in the traditionally macho trucking world. His quick comebacks and larger-than-life personality make him a beloved figure among the truckers, even as he occasionally ruffles feathers.
JOSH “PIG PEN” WILLIAMS - 40’s, the lovable Casanova of the group that all the waitresses flirt with. Smooth talker. Meets his match when he falls in love with Haddie Catrell.
MATT CRAWLEY - 35-50 yrs old, congressman who has been “bought” by Trask. He introduces legislation that makes it harder for human truck drivers to compete, imposing restrictive regulations while providing incentives for Trask’s autonomous trucks. Crawley is ambitious, corrupt, and eager to climb the political ladder with Trask’s backing. He acts as Trask’s voice in the government, helping to manipulate the legal landscape to favor the corporate agenda.
HADDIE CATRELL - early-30’s, lawyer at the Trask Corp who finds out about dirty dealing with Trask and Crawley and gets info to her old law school friend Bydie. Decides to join the cause with the truckers and finds love while doing so.
RENE PERKINS - mid-50’s, wife of Rubber Duck and mother of Bydie. Truly the backbone of the Perkins family and displays quiet confidence and steadiness and one can see that Bydie gets this from her. Does a lot of back-office tasks at the trucking company since it is an independent, family-owned business.
MARCY EVANS - 25-45 yrs old (female), Trask’s a sharp-eyed strategist and executive assistant. Basically Trask’s right-hand man. She is the one who gets dirty and gets things done. Trask would be lost without her. Can be an ensemble cast member.
GRAHAM RILEY - 25-45 yrs old (male), Trask’s clean-cut intelligence officer. He is basically the Harvard educated financial whiz kid. Very smart but socially awkward. Can be an ensemble cast member.