Cooper and Durazno knock out a truck driver and steal his rig. They haul it back to a shop where the vehicle is repainted and its identifying numbers are filed away, revealing a truckload of carburetors that catches their attention. After this heist, Cooper abandons Durazno at a gas station and heads out as an independent driver of the distinctive yellow Peterbilt.
Cooper soon picks up a hitchhiker, but he refuses to give a ride to the hitchhiker’s accompanying woman and dog. In a diner, they spot the mysterious Duke of Interstate 40, a seasoned figure who draws Cooper’s curiosity and a bit of irritation when Cooper asks him questions about his rig. The scene shifts to a drive-in screening of Samson and Delilah as Cooper talks about the kinds of jobs he’s considered—ways to earn money while he learns, using an almanac to study opportunities and timings.
A visit to a shopkeeper illustrates Cooper’s precarious position: he’s eager to sell some stolen carburetors or work as an independent hauler, but the shopkeeper declines, noting the wholesalers’ grip on the market. Meanwhile, the hitchhiker scouts potential customers, and together they cram the already full truck with tiles and live chickens, even pilfering food and supplies from other trucks. They swing by a place Cooper claims is his wife’s home, only to find she isn’t there. A routine police stop then complicates things; Cooper lies about having just returned from the war to avoid an inspection, and the officer lets him go.
That night, Cooper stays awake by taking Benzedrine to keep alert on the road. The next day brings another police stop, and the authorities demand a proper logbook. The plates don’t match Cooper’s, and the trailer exceeds its weight limit. To avoid charges, Cooper is pressured to unload four tons of goods onto the shoulder. He dumps some items, but the hitchhiker fails to secure the trailer door, and most of the tiles and live chickens cascade onto the highway.
Just when it seems the worst might be behind them, the truck breaks down. A new ally arrives: Johnny Mesquitero appears and offers help on the condition they don’t push the vehicle too hard. He patches the piston seals and instructs the hitchhiker to ease the tires to avoid a jackknife, then leaves. Cooper returns to learn that Johnny had supposedly died six years earlier in a jackknife accident, a detail that colors the tension and uncertainty surrounding their salvage attempts.
The duo stops at a cafe where Cooper’s friend, the cook, warns that the police are looking for him. That night, Cooper steals the plates and papers from another truck to disguise his own identity. They must pass a weighbridge, and Cooper manages to fool the officers by claiming a drunk hunter is shooting at people on the hill. While two officers go to investigate, the remaining one is knocked out with a stubborn bottle, allowing them to continue their journey. The road ahead is partially closed for construction, yet Cooper insists they can still squeeze through a lane.
At a racetrack, the hitchhiker asks for money, but Cooper refuses to share. Later, as they ride again, the hitchhiker points a flare gun at Cooper and demands the cargo. Cooper climbs into the back to confront him, and when the hitchhiker follows, Cooper restrains him, locking him inside. After four sleepless nights, Cooper drifts into exhaustion and inadvertently forces an oncoming car off the road by veering into its lane. He finally reaches a barn, unhitches, and unlocks the trailer, while the hitchhiker staggers out and gives chase. Cooper escapes, driving away with the trailer in tow.
With the highway stretching ahead, Cooper attempts to salvage something from the wreckage by offering the tractor for a mere $200. The potential buyer declines, and Cooper abandons the truck in a parking lot, choosing instead to press on as a hitchhiker, continuing his arduous, solitary journey along the road.
