Rookie of the Quarter: Perry Mast

on Wednesday, February 11, 2026 in Awards & Recognition

TMC is proud to recognize Perry Mast as the Rookie of the Quarter for the fourth quarter of 2025. The Rookie of the Quarter award honors a driver who has taken all the right steps to start a successful flatbed career—and Perry certainly has. Throughout his time with TMC, he has demonstrated the right mindset to succeed, and he’s worked to develop the skills he needs for a great career as a flatbed driver.

“Since day one, Perry has always had a great attitude and work ethic,” says Grady Flynn, Perry’s fleet manager. “After his first few weeks in the truck, it honestly felt for me like Perry had been here for a few years, with how well he was handling situations, good and bad.”.

Choosing the Right Trucking Company

Perry has a careful, thoughtful approach to life, and he’s deeply focused on doing things the right way. When he decided to get into trucking after spending nearly fifteen years farming in Tennessee, it was important to him to find the right company to drive for.

“I knew I wanted to drive flatbed—I need to stay active,” he says.

He considered several different flatbed companies, but TMC stood out to him. “What drew me to TMC was that we want to be the best,” he says. “We want to do things right the first time. I like the structure, the base TMC has. I feel I made the right choice.”

Learning the Ropes

After completing TMC’s orientation program, Perry spent a few weeks on the road with driver trainer Rusty Johnson to perfect his driving and load securement skills. “I learn quicker when I’m hands-on,” Perry notes, so spending time on the road with Rusty was a great opportunity to practice what he had learned in orientation.

A few months later, attending TMC’s Driver TQM (Total Quality Management) training also made a difference in his driving career.

TMC’s Driver TQM program tailors our continuous improvement framework to drivers, applying the principles of quality management to help drivers make the most of their driving hours and maximize their pay. It focuses on empowering drivers to make smart, proactive choices on the road so they can stay safe and overcome the daily challenges they face.

TQM changed Perry’s approach to driving, he says, by teaching him how to manage his driving time. “One of the best things I learned, by far, was time management and how to run my clock,” he says.

Time management has been key for not only accomplishing more on the road, but also giving Perry a more relaxed mindset. “When I was new, I used to feel rushed—I thought I had to keep moving, tarp as fast as I could,” he says. “It made a difference when I learned how to use split logging. Most of the time, I expect to sit at the shipper two hours. I’ll use the extra time so I’m not rushing through things.”

Overall, Perry believes that TQM and TMC’s training program have given him the skills he needs to do the job right, while always keeping safety and efficiency in mind. “I focus on doing the job right before I worry about how much money I make,” he says.

A Great Partnership with His Fleet Manager

While Perry is out on the road, he knows he can count on Grady, his fleet manager, to find the right loads for him.

“Grady is one of the best, in my opinion,” Perry says. “I’ve learned to trust him. I trust him to know he’s putting me in a position for a good load. I enjoy working with him; he knows how I like to run.”

Grady says Perry has been a great addition to TMC’s fleet. “Perry has been a pleasure to work with so far, and I cannot wait to see what the future holds,” he says.

Life Off the Road

Perry takes a lot of pride in his work, and he takes just as much pride in his family. He and his wife of more than twenty years have three children: two sons who have both served in the Marines, and a daughter who has already graduated high school at age 16 and is hoping to start her own business. Perry is excited to support her as she works toward her dream.

With his dedication to excellence in every aspect of his job, Perry has certainly set a great example for his daughter to follow. We’re proud to recognize him as Rookie of the Quarter and to have him as part of the Black and Chrome fleet. Congrats, Perry!