Why the Driver Experience Should Be a Boardroom Priority

Driver shortages, rising turnover, and margin pressure continue to reshape transportation. For executives, the driver conversation can no longer be left to recruiting or operations teams. It’s a board-level issue that directly impacts profitability, customer service, and the long-term health of a trucking business. 

Driver turnover can exceed 90% annually, costing fleets millions in recruiting, training, and lost productivity. 

The solution isn’t simply increasing pay or incentives. It’s better tools, like technology that treats drivers as the most important link in your operation. 

That’s why Mastery built MasterMind® Drive, a mobile app designed to put drivers at the center of transportation management.

From Truck-Centric to Driver-Centric

Most transportation management systems (TMS) were built around trucks, routes, and terminals. Drivers were an afterthought, with applications that made it more cumbersome to manage work rather than easier. 

Mastery takes a different approach. Because it’s cloud-native and designed as a single platform for carriers, shippers, and brokers, the driver mobile app is part of the system’s DNA, not an add-on.

With MasterMind Drive, drivers can:

• Accept or reject load assignments right from their phone 
• See real-time pay visibility—earnings by route and cumulative pay for the period 
• Communicate instantly with dispatch through in-app messaging allowing them to communicate with operations how they best see fit 
• Self-dispatch when they’re ready, speeding up load starts and cutting idle time. 
• Upload paperwork (PODs, BOLs) instantly to accelerate billing and cash flow.

“This is awesome — how can we onboard ASAP?! Let’s get this going!”

CHS team, after seeing the MasterMind® Drive app

This shift from truck-centric to driver-centric operations unlocks new efficiencies across the business.

Real-Time Visibility That Scales Beyond Dispatch 

Executives care about outcomes: faster billing, lower operating costs, and more predictable service. 

Here’s how MasterMind Drive delivers business impact:

• Faster cash cycles: Digital document capture means invoices go out days sooner, improving cash flow. 
• Exception reduction: Real-time location sharing that feeds MasterMind’s proprietary ETA engine eliminates endless “where’s my truck?” calls. 
• Operational efficiency: Automated ETAs and driver status replaces manual data entry with automated, accurate information 
• Higher retention: Transparency around assignments and pay builds trust, which reduces costly turnover. Our advanced driver preferences management also provides assignments that account for driver preferred lanes, equipment or schedules to keep your drivers happy. 
• Drivers access plan details while in the cab on their tablet or via their personal device allowing flexibility when away from the cab.

“Being live with the app has been great. Leaning on drivers to own the route lifecycle from dispatch to complete has been a game changer.”

Keurig Dr Pepper operations team

Why Legacy Apps Fall Short

Many TMS vendors offer driver apps, but they often come with limitations:

• Limited flexibility. 
• Patchwork integrations that delay updates or cause data silos. 
• Separate apps for messaging, document capture, and pay visibility. 

MasterMind Drive avoids these pitfalls by being built on the same cloud-native, API-first platform as the full MasterMind TMS. That means:

• One system, one codebase, no additional integrations, systems or duplicate data. 
• Continuous updates delivered seamlessly through the cloud to a phone or tablet, without downtime. 
• Configurable workflows that adapt to asset fleets, private fleets, or brokerage drivers. 
• AI-ready architecture, preparing fleets for predictive routing and real-time reassignments.  

Ready for Tomorrow

Today’s capabilities already make life easier for drivers and more efficient for fleets. But some of our roadmap ahead expands even further:

• Traffic and weather intelligence: Proactive alerts and dynamic re-routing to avoid costly delays. 
• Voice-enabled communication: Safe, hands-free messaging with dispatch, as well as multi-lingual capabilities. 

The end goal: an ecosystem where drivers are empowered, operations are streamlined, and executives see the financial impact in real time.

Why Executives Should Care

The driver experience is no longer just a workforce issue, it’s a strategic lever. By giving drivers more control, clarity, and connectivity, you can:

• Protect revenue by ensuring loads move on time. 
• Reduce costs by cutting back-office workload and exception management. 
• Lower risk with better compliance and fewer gaps in communication. 
• Strengthen retention and reduce recruiting spend by building a driver-friendly culture.

Your most important assets aren’t trucks or terminals. They’re the people behind the wheel. And when they succeed, your business succeeds.

See MasterMind Drive in Action

Ready to put drivers at the center of your TMS strategy? 

Contact us today to schedule a full demonstration of MasterMind® Drive.