• The New York Times , Wednesday, August 13, 2008 10:15 AM

Navistar International has underwritten the estimated $2 million budget to produce a documentary about truck drivers that is scheduled to make its debut next week, and will spend perhaps an additional $3 million to stimulate interest in the film. The marketing campaign for "Drive and Deliver" resembles a Hollywood effort, with a red-carpet premiere, screenings, plans for charitable donations and a contest for student filmmakers.

"Drive and Deliver," which runs about 45 minutes, follows three long-haul truckers as they travel around the country in the spring, making deliveries in a new long-haul truck -- the LoneStar -- that will be shipped to dealers in October.

The nitty-gritty of the driver's lives is chronicled in segments that are interspersed with shots of the LoneStars, as well as discussions with the truckers about their backgrounds, families, dreams and disappointments. The movie is being previewed on a Web site (internationaltrucks.com/film). It will make it debut on Aug. 22 at the Great American Trucking Show in Dallas.

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