If there's one thing History's Ice Road Truckers has taught us, it's that trucking ain't easy. And in frigid climates, it's especially dangerous. The History Channel has had success with an unscripted series about the trucking industry, and now it looks like Showtime may be giving the topic a whirl with a new drama in development.
Better known and celebrated (presently) for his poetry, Tony Tost has already made the transition from poetry to TV writing with a few episodes of Longmire. And today, Deadline reports that he's developing a drama for Showtime called Heartland Trucking. The project would be a scripted look at the world of truckers in middle America, centering on a family run business that serves truckers along with its own criminal agenda.
I've often wondered what it was like to be a trucker. I blame Over the Top for my interest in the subject (as well as my curiosity about the world of competitive arm-wrestling). There's so much traveling involved, so much time spent on the highways and managing that huge vehicle on the road, moving things from A to B. Stopping at rest stops. Spending time away from home. There's potential for a drama in that kind of lifestyle, though it sounds like Tost's project focuses on a family run business, so it's unclear how much of the show would take place on the road. Either way, the concept seems interesting. We'll have to wait and see if this one moves forward, and if so, who's cast in the lead.
In addition to Tost's involvement, the project is being developed by Television 360 (Game of Thrones) and Fox 21.
