The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 4 plus 5 letter word LONG HAULĀ
I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
L
O
N
G
H
A
U
L
Ā
Buddy explains!

The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
Crossword Answer definitions
LONG HAULĀ noun- A long time; the long term; an extended period.
- A long distance
- (usually hyphenated) Travelling a long distance.
- To travel a long distance.
- To transport goods over long distances.