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For most new truckers, IFTA reporting can be confusing.  The purpose of the International Fuel Tax Agreement is to provide a uniform and simpler method for filing and collecting fuel use taxes. Yet, the rules and regulations are confusing, leaving many truckers to wonder if they’ll ever understand it.  So, for those who are apprehensive about filing IFTA quarterly tax returns, this guide is for you.

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Eliminate Your IFTA Without Giving Up Trucking

by Allen Campbell | IFTA, Invoice, Trucking Management | 0 comments

No, I’m not going to tell you to give up interstate driving.  But I am going to tell you to eliminate your IFTA struggle in a perfectly legal way.  It’s just like ice cream.

Have you ever made ice cream?

It’s not hard to mix everything up.  Milk, cream, sugar, eggs, and flavoring get all mixed together.  Then you pour the mix into the ice cream maker.

With the old style ice cream freezer, someone had to turn a crank for a while.  A long while.  A lot longer than most of us can crank.  Then the next person took over and cranked.  And cranked.

Today, we’ve got electric ice cream makers.  The same ingredients are mixed together and poured into the machine.  Plug it in and turn it on and a while later, the ice cream is done.

How is that like doing your IFTA?

One way is long and painful.  Getting the ingredients mixed together isn’t hard – it’s the cranking that hurts.  If you’re doing your IFTA with spreadsheets, Google maps, and stacks of fuel receipts, that’s the hard way.  Maybe you recorded your miles per state as you drove them and think you’re ahead of the game.

Deciding to start your own trucking company is a big undertaking that can leave you with more questions than you might’ve imagined. Most of those questions will revolve around what resources you’ll need in order to be successful, especially in the early going. It’s helpful to get familiar with all of the benefits and drawbacks of the various products on the market to determine which are the best fit for the long-term health of your business.  Probably after your rig, your most important purchase is the software to run your business. You need accounting software for truckers.

Electronic logging devices (ELDs) are not infallible.  Unfortunately, you may have already found this out the hard way.  Did your ELD go down recently?  If so, did you know what to do?  More than likely, you made some mistakes trying to resolve the issue and wasted a lot of time and effort.  If your ELD malfunctions again, here’s what to do to remedy the problem without losing time, money, or your sanity.

In the trucking industry, everyone from fleet managers to drivers are constantly searching for ways to simplify and streamline trucking operations along the supply chain. Furthermore, around 70% of all freight tonnage moved in the US going through trucks. Therefore, smooth supply chains are crucial to successful deliveries. Simplifying processes decreases the workload of managers and drivers while increasing profit. However, 49% of transportation and logistics companies reported that their technology was out of date. Unfortunately, this took a toll in their ability to best serve their customers and allowing their competitors to step ahead. Electronic logging devices (ELDs), a new technology in the trucking industry, can help improve the supply chain for trucking operators. ELDs Read below to learn more about the functions and benefits of ELDs in your field.

If you’ve been driving a delivery truck for a company, maybe you’re starting to think bigger about your career. Is hauling soda or beer around the county going to give you the lifestyle you want? Maybe you’re thinking about long-distance trucking and want to find out more about how to become an owner-operator?

There has been a lot of concern about the Big Brother aspect of ELDs. Who’s watching you? Who knows where you are? We’re not going to say that it’s paranoid to be worried about these things, but ELD truck location and load tracking may be a good thing for truckers.

We’ve heard about the different types of load tracking. Everything from having individual trackers on pallets to having a specific smartphone set up to relay constant location data.

Digital.com recently reviewed several trucking software program for owner-operators and small fleets. They ranked TruckingOffice in their top five programs based on trucking software features, integrations, and reports.

If you're an owner-operator or run a small trucking fleet, why do you need trucking company software?

Stress is inherent in the trucking business.  If you’re still using manual methods such as paper map routings and a shoebox full of receipts, then it’s time to consider an upgrade.  After you use a TMS for a while, your stress level will decrease.  

How to Calculate Your Miles by State

There are three ways to calculate your miles by state.  Which one will you choose?

The hard one?

The time-consuming one?

The fast and accurate one?

Ask any trucker and he’ll tell you, there’s gonna be days like that.  You’ll spend far too many hours each day doing paperwork and math.  Sometimes, you’ll miss the IFTA due dates and end up paying fines.  Plus, your truck needs unexpected repairs that will eat up your available cash.  Or, you’ll deadhead for hundreds of miles trying not to think about the wasted fuel.  

But, many of these situations can be prevented or minimized with a trucking management software (TMS.) You’ll make more money and have time to spend at home if you get organized.  Plus, your customers will love you.  In short, a reliable TMS trucking system will optimize each aspect of your operation.  Here’s how.

Let’s look at how the devices can help you reduce expenses.  With ELDs, not only will you save money, you’ll be helping keep America’s highways safe for fellow truckers, and regular people, as well.  That’s the number one benefit, for sure.