> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.tread.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Driver Lifecycle

> How Drivers are invited, moved between Vendors, and deactivated — and why phone numbers stay locked.

Create a Driver once and every dispatch, logged hour, and Ticket attaches to that one record. Deactivating keeps that history and frees the phone number for the next Driver — no duplicate records.

## What it is

A [Driver](/concepts/connected-ecosystem) is the user who receives a dispatch and performs it. The Driver record is a User with the Driver Role, and it belongs to one account: yours (an [Internal Driver](/concepts/dispatching-drivers-vendors)) or a [Vendor](/concepts/connected-ecosystem)'s. It carries the phone number, name, and equipment assignment. The lifecycle has four stages: invite, first login, day-to-day dispatch, and deactivation.

## How Tread models it

* **Invitation** — an Admin creates the Driver, then sends an invite by email or SMS. SMS is the default for Drivers without a work email. The Driver taps the invite link and lands in the [Driver app](/mobile/driver-app).
* **First login** — the Driver sees their assigned equipment, the day's Jobs, and a "Start Log" button. With nothing assigned yet, the app shows "Your schedule is clear."
* **In review** — at shift end the Driver submits hours and Tickets. The driver-day sits in *In Review* until an [approver](/concepts/roles-permissions) signs off.
* **Phone-number lock** — once created, the phone number is locked to that Driver record. This stops two people from authenticating as the same Driver.
* **Deactivation** — Deactivate keeps the history (Tickets, settlements, hours) and frees the phone number for reuse.

| Action                                        | Path                                                             | Effect                                      |
| --------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------- |
| Driver leaves the company                     | Deactivate                                                       | Phone number freed, history kept            |
| Driver moves from Vendor X to Vendor Y        | Edit the Company on the Driver record                            | Same record, connected to the new Vendor    |
| "Phone number already in use" error           | Deactivate the old record, then reuse the number                 | Or edit the existing record                 |
| Driver already works at another Tread company | Contact Tread support — they connect the record across companies | One app login, history preserved            |
| Vendor changes EIN or legal name              | Create a new Vendor record                                       | 1099s tie to the EIN — do not edit in place |

## Watch it

How to remove a Driver, end to end:

<iframe src="https://www.loom.com/embed/6efccff5c9814d748d4d8dd2e2e390bc" title="How to delete/remove a driver in Tread Horizon" frameBorder="0" allowFullScreen style={{ width: '100%', aspectRatio: '16 / 9' }} />

## Common pitfalls

<Warning>
  **"Phone number already in use" means an active Driver record already has that number.** Deactivate the old Driver record — that frees the number — then create the new one. Or edit the existing record instead of creating a duplicate.
</Warning>

<Warning>
  **EIN or legal-name changes on a Vendor require a new Vendor record.** 1099s are issued against the EIN at the time of payment. Editing the EIN on an existing Vendor will misreport prior payments.
</Warning>

<Warning>
  **A driver's role changed — employee to Owner-Operator, driver to office User? Edit, don't re-create.** A regional hauler's employee driver bought a truck and became an Owner-Operator. Re-creating the Driver split the ticket history across two records and broke pay history. Change the role on the User record instead: open **Settings → Users**, find the person, and edit the role. Phone number, history, and pay records stay on one record. If the edit is blocked with "phone number already taken," contact Tread support — don't delete and re-add. See [Roles & Permissions](/concepts/roles-permissions).
</Warning>

<Warning>
  **The driver already worked at another Tread company.** A regional hauler hired an experienced driver and saw "phone number already taken." The existing record sits at the prior company — not yours. Drivers do not have a self-serve Connect flow today (vendors and customers do). Contact Tread support with the driver's name, phone number, and your company. Tread links the record across companies. Your dispatch can then assign the driver and they keep one app login.
</Warning>

## Related

* [Connected Ecosystem](/concepts/connected-ecosystem) — how Drivers, Vendors, and Customers connect
* [Dispatching to Drivers and Vendors](/concepts/dispatching-drivers-vendors) — Internal, Shared, and Vendor drivers
* [Roles & Permissions](/concepts/roles-permissions) — what a Driver sees vs an Admin
* [Onboarding: Drivers](/onboarding/master-data/drivers) — step-by-step Driver setup
* [Mobile Troubleshooting](/mobile/troubleshooting) — fix login and dispatch issues