Star Leasing's StarCare Breakdown Service handled everything by phone—long hold times, no visibility, no data. We transformed SBS from a cost center into a digital profit center with a cross-platform mobile app and REST API.
Star Leasing is a national leader in the rental, lease, sales, and maintenance of semi-trailers. Their StarCare Breakdown Service (SBS) provides 24/7 roadside assistance to drivers—but the entire process ran on phone calls. Drivers waited in call queues, dispatchers had no real-time visibility, and there was no digital foundation for growth.
This initiative was driven by Star Leasing's relationship with its largest client, Amazon, and the need to provide a best-in-class digital experience for drivers on the road. Star Leasing engaged Digital Scientists for a three-phase engagement: a GV Design Sprint to validate the concept, an MVP Blueprint to plan the build, and a full product development phase to ship a cross-platform mobile app with a REST API—all in under seven months.
The vision extended beyond roadside service: Star Leasing saw an opportunity to lay the foundation for a multi-generational product plan (MGPP) connecting IoT devices in trailers for predictive maintenance and driver training.
Client
Star Leasing Company
Industry
Transportation & Logistics
Engagement
Design Sprint → MVP Blueprint → Full Build
Services
Design Sprint, Product Design & Development, Solution Architecture
Platforms
iOS, Android (React Native)
Timeline
Oct 2018 – May 2019
Method
Users Tested
Dev Sprints
Platforms
Months to Ship
Over-the-road trailer breakdowns are problematic for truck drivers and can lead to missed delivery windows and significant revenue loss. Star Leasing needed to modernize its entire breakdown service workflow.
Drivers waited in call queues to report breakdowns. "Phone is the least efficient form of communication."
No ETA tracking for technicians. Drivers had no idea when help would arrive.
SBS operated as a pure cost center with no path to generate revenue or added value.
No app, no IoT integration, no predictive maintenance—everything was manual.
Submit service requests without having to call a dispatcher
Create an open line of direct communication between driver & Star Leasing team
Specify trailer issues and service details digitally
Track the ETA of the service technician in real time
Obtain real-time updates on fleet data
Schedule maintenance and rate service technicians
We ran a GV Design Sprint with six Star Leasing stakeholders to rapidly define the problem, explore solutions, prototype, and test with real users—all in four days.
Day 1: Define & Solve
Mapped the challenge, identified stakeholder pain points, and produced solution concepts
Day 2: Storyboard
Created a detailed storyboard mapping the driver's breakdown experience end-to-end
Day 3: Prototype
Built a clickable SBS prototype ready for real-user testing
Day 4: Test
Tested with 4 real users (3 drivers + 1 fleet equipment manager) and validated the concept
Key Insight
"Phone is the least efficient form of communication"
— From stakeholder analysis (Coordinator Map)
We tested the prototype with 4 users—3 drivers (Adrian, James, Ronney) and 1 fleet equipment manager (Bob Anno)—using a real-world scenario: "Reefer trailer #301239 has broken down due to a blown left rear tire..."
Users navigated the app without instruction or hesitation
Breakdown requests submitted in minutes vs. lengthy phone calls
Real-time technician ETA and status updates calmed anxious drivers
Every tester wanted the app deployed immediately
What Drivers Said
"I've trained a third of the drivers here... I don't know any that wouldn't be able to use this."
James — Driver
"Much needed, it would work."
Ronney — Driver
"Good for the driver's state of mind."
James — Driver
"I like the app, I need that."
Ronney — Driver
"I like it, y'all did good."
James — Driver
"Get it rollin'."
Adrian — Driver
With just a few taps, drivers request help, specify the nature of the breakdown, and get real-time updates. The app communicates estimated times and technician locations to manage expectations and promote a sense of calm.
Submit breakdown details, photos, and location with a few taps—no phone call needed
Track technician assignment, ETA, and real-time location on a live map
Triggered when a technician is assigned, delayed, or when their ETA has been reached
Detects bandwidth and adjusts image size automatically for reliable uploads on the road
The SBS mobile app connects drivers to Star Leasing's existing StarView system through a secure VPN, with the Rails API and image storage hosted on AWS. The architecture was designed for drivers with unreliable connectivity and enterprise-grade security requirements.
Engineering Highlight: Network-Aware Image Uploads
In transportation, image transfer consumes the majority of bandwidth. We architected the app to detect network health and dynamically adjust image size, improving responsiveness and upload success rates for drivers on the road. Images upload asynchronously, separate from the service request payload.
Drivers submit service requests directly from the app—no more waiting in phone queues
Live tracking and push notifications keep drivers informed and calm
Single React Native codebase deployed to both iOS and Android
SBS transformed from operational cost to revenue-generating platform
Platform built to support predictive maintenance and driver training
Travis CI + CodePush for continuous deployment with automated test suites
Our Design Sprint process takes you from concept to validated prototype in days, not months.