But he soon discovers that his few years away has seen the trucking industry take a turn for the worse, now run by an organised crime group dubbed Glass House, headed by the smooth-talking CEO, Mr Cutler (Don Porter). Intimidation and violence, not to mention support from a corrupt deputy (Nix), is their means for keeping all subbies in line, who understandably see running cigarettes and slot machines as a far better proposition than failing to make payments on their rigs.

Family friend and dispatch manager Duane Haller (Slim Pickens) tries to ease Carrol Jo into the new business model, but Carrol Jo refuses to haul any contraband; he’s an “honest man out to do an honest day’s work”.

Of course, Cutler isn’t one to get his hands dirty and leaves the fisticuffs and shotgun action to sleazeball yard manager, Buck (LQ Jones).

Glass House’s stranglehold on the industry sees Carrol Jo black-banned from all depots, so he teams up with old friend Pops (Sam Laws) to force Buck to give him some legitimate loads. Payback is swift, and it’s not long before some highway shenanigans sees a dirty Louisville truck cop a flogging and the Blue Mule vandalised to within an inch of its life.

Then Pops and Haller are murdered, and the blame is laid squarely at the innocent Carrol Jo’s feet. A stint in the slammer has him close to throwing in the towel, but a home invasion that lands Jerri in hospital is the last straw. Carrol Jo pushes himself and the Blue Mule to breaking point, spectacularly gatecrashing a Glass House party.