What Should All New Truckers Know?

If you are new to the wonderful world of trucking, there are some truths you need to know. But by no means is this information meant to scare you away from an amazing career. We simply want to supply you with honest and straightforward information. So let’s jump right into it, what should all new truckers know?

What Should All New Truckers Know?

This is primarily meant for truck drivers just entering the industry. It is no doubt your first year will be the hardest day so far. You will need to make adjustments and get used to the job, and all that it entails. While you learned a lot during your CDL training, there is still a lot to learn that you have not learned yet.

Driving Experience and Time

In this industry experience is really key to getting the best jobs. The more experience you have on the road, the better of a driver you will become. In your first year, there will be more than one or two close calls. But with more experience, you will find yourself more relaxed, and you will enjoy your job that much more.

Minimizing Close Calls

One of the most important goals of your first year is to minimize close calls and the chance of having an accident. Accidents are unfortunately all too common for first-year truck drivers. In addition to getting used to the job, you will also need to get accustomed to your truck.

Pay careful attention to the road and do your best to avoid any accidents. These will show up on your truck driving record (CVOR, DAC report). In addition to accidents being embarrassing, they can also be very expensive. If the accident was unnecessary and easily preventable it will end up costing you your new position. So we want to avoid that at all cost.

Weeks Away From Home

It is a fact that the life of a professional truck driver can keep you away from home for weeks or more. This might not sound like a big deal for any of you, but it is not as easy as you might think. If you are in a relationship or married, you will need to be prepared. Talk to your family about what to expect and how they can prepare.

In addition to being apart from your family, you will be alone for long periods of time, and this can be tough on some. Anxiety, depression, and of course loneliness is common among truck drivers. A successful trucking career can take a toll on both your physical and mental health. To combat this, you will need to prepare before leaving on a route and make adjustments each time you set out.

 

Goal Oriented (Stay Focused)

Your first year as a truck driver will be hard, and there is no denying that. But, don’t get discouraged and overwhelmed during this time, it will pass. Remember why you started this career and what your long terms goals are. Use this time to gain experience and get more time behind the wheel. The more experience and time you have on the road the better the money.
Do a good job and most importantly keep yourself safe. Practice makes perfect.

Comment down below and share this blog with new truckers. Visit ExpressIFTA for more trucking news and information.

Read More »

Why Wait When You Can Pre-File Your HVUT?

It’s almost that time of year again! The HVUT 2290 pre-filing season is officially here and the regular filing season is on the horizon. Starting now, you can pre-file your 2290s for the 2018-19 heavy vehicle use tax season. That’s an entire month early! Why wait when you can pre-file your HVUT with TSNAmerica.

Time to Pre-File Your HVUT

The regular HVUT season runs from July 1 through June 30 of the following year.

Whether you’re an owner-operator, leasing company, trucking company, or any other business that operates heavy vehicles with a gross weight above 55,000 pounds traveling on public highways, you must file IRS Form 2290.

Usually, you can’t start filing until the tax period begins on July 1st, but our sister product TSNAmerica has gone ahead and started pre-filing now.

Pre-Filing With TSNAmerica

TSNAmerica is from the same dedicated team of experts that brought you ExpressIFTA. Whereas ExpressIFTA is your complete IFTA quarterly fuel tax reporting solution, TSNAmerica offers one of the fastest HVUT pre-filing methods available.

You can call TSNAmerica to pre-file your IRS Form 2290. This means that no matter what you’re doing, you can pull your phone out of your pocket and let TSNAmerica take care of your HVUT for you. TSNAmerica will email you the necessary consent forms then they will file your 2290 and transmit it directly to the IRS on July 1st. You can choose to have your return transmitted at a later date, but the deadline is August 31st.

TSNAmerica is an IRS-authorized tax provider so your information will be kept safe, and the process is quick and easy. This pre-filing method is perfect for those who are constantly on the move, like truckers who don’t have time to stop and find somewhere to file. Plus, pre-filing cuts out your waiting time. Instead of waiting weeks to receive your Schedule 1, you will get it as soon as the IRS stamps it.

Why Wait When You Can Pre-File Your HVUT?

Don’t wait until the last minute to file your HVUT. You will have it in the back of your mind all summer long. Go ahead and knock it out by pre-filing over the phone with TSNAmerica!

Pre-File HVUT Today!

Read More »

My IFTA Report Is Late! What Should I Do?

Hey, you do know that your IFTA deadline was on Monday, April 30th, right? Well, we hope you generated your IFTA report and completed your return by the deadline because if you didn’t, you could be in quite a pickle.

If you failed to file and pay by the 1st quarter IFTA deadline, you will have to face expensive penalties. So your IFTA report is late. Here’s what you should do:

1. Stop panicking 
2. Pour yourself a drink (Optional)
3. Keep reading

My IFTA Report Is Late! What Should I Do?

If you missed the first quarter IFTA reporting deadline, the first thing you need to do is file as soon as possible. The sooner you complete your return, the better. Turning in your information faster makes it look like you care, plus you might get it in before the Fed's notice it's late. (just saying)

Also, your penalty rate is based on the time it takes you to file after the deadline. So if you file late, you will automatically face a penalty of $50 or 10% of your taxes, depending on which is more. However, the IFTA Nevada penalty is $50 and 10% of the total tax amount you owe.

If your payment is late, you will be charged .4167% of the total tax you owe every month until the amount is completely paid off. The IFTA Nevada penalty for administrative fees increases rapidly. The fees are $100 for the first time, $500 for the second, $1,000 for the third and more.

Not to mention your base jurisdiction reserves the right to suspend or even revoke your IFTA license.

I said don’t freak out.

They are usually more lenient towards first-time offenders and how quickly you can provide your return. So it is not too late yet.

You may feel rushed and like time is of the essence, but a few hours or a day won’t make a big difference. Take your time and make sure your IFTA tax totals and calculations are correct. 

You’re Not Alone

You can quickly generate your IFTA report here at ExpressIFTA. Your report will have all your IFTA totals, plus it can be printed, emailed, and used to complete your return instantly.

Best of all, ExpressIFTA will handle all of your IFTA calculations for you. Your totals will be automatically calculated with 100% accuracy, so you don’t have to worry about making any mathematical mistakes.

Generating your report is easy, simply enter your distance and fuel records online at your own pace. Enter your information per trip, by month, or bulk upload all of it at once! Then when you’re ready to generate your report, an internal audit check will be performed to catch any fundamental errors.

File Your IFTA Report Today

Read More »

The 1st Quarter IFTA Deadline Is Here

We hope you’re ready because the time has come. The April 30th 1st quarter IFTA deadline has arrived. This means that you need to file your return with your base jurisdiction by midnight or you’ll have outrageous penalties to face.


This could put you in a state of panic because historically IFTA has been a complicated process. Do you have time to set aside hours to calculate all of the IFTA totals needed to complete your return? If not, don’t worry. ExpressIFTA, the quick and easy online IFTA reporting solution is here to help.

The 1st Quarter IFTA Deadline Is Here

Our goal at ExpressIFTA is to make the IFTA reporting process easier and faster to save you time. That’s why we’ve made it incredibly easy to import all of your information. Then we will use the data you enter to calculate all o your IFTA totals with 100% accuracy.

IFTA Reporting Instructions

All of your information will be generated in an easy to ready IFTA report that can be printed, emailed, and used to complete your IFTA return with your base jurisdiction instantly. Best of all, the entire process can be completed in a matter of minutes.


To get started today, simply create your free account using your email address. You will register with your name, contact information, and primary language. We offer support and services in both English and Spanish.


Enter your business detail, including your address; it is important that this information match what is on filed in the IFTA database.


Next, you will enter your base jurisdiction, which is your home state or the state where your vehicle is registered.


After that, you will enter your vehicle information such as the number, make, model, and fuel type. You can enter multiple vehicles and drivers to tack the IFTA totals for your entire fleet.


Then you can enter your mileage information at your own pace. You can add your information per trip with trip sheet entries, enter your information for the entire month with the quick entry screen, or bulk upload all of your data.


To make importing even faster, you can upload all of your information directly from your GPS. We also accept ELD data.

Generate Your IFTA Report

Last, but not least, it’s time to generate your IFTA report! It will catch any basic errors that need to be corrected, such as if your MPG hall out of range for your vehicle. Your IFTA report will also include any penalties, interest, credits/refunds based on your base jurisdiction's instructions.


Speaking of base jurisdictions, when you use your IFTA report to file your return, make sure you file according to your base jurisdiction's rules and regulations, Each state has their own filing requirement. For example, some require you to paper file while others require you to e-file. Learn about your state’s regulations here.


If you need any assistance, then please don’t hesitate to contact our live US-based ExpressIFTA support team.

File Your IFTA Report

Read More »

What You Need to Complete Your IFTA Tax Return

As a member of the trucking industry, you should already be aware of the IFTA tax return deadline coming up on Monday, April 30th. Don’t let this deadline sneak up on you. Here is what you need to complete your IFTA tax return.

What You Need to Complete Your IFTA Tax Return

• The total miles traveled per jurisdiction
• The total amount of fuel purchased per jurisdiction
• The total amount of fuel consumed per jurisdiction
• The current tax rate jurisdiction
• And the amount of tax paid per gallon of fuel per jurisdiction.

What Is a Jurisdiction?

Just to clarify, a jurisdiction is a state that you drive through. Your IFTA report is actually due in your base jurisdiction or home state. Your base jurisdiction is also where your truck and information is registered.

IFTA Fuel Tax Rates 1st Quarter 2018

No need to look up the current IFTA fuel tax rates for 1st quarter 2018 filing. Our IFTA software automatically updates at the end of the quarter to ensure your IFTA tax rates are 100% accurate.

Looking For an IFTA Software?

Well, you have come to the right place, my friend. Express IFTA is full of innovative features to help you complete your IFTA quarterly fuel tax report. All you have to do to get started is create your free account, enter your business information, specify your base jurisdiction, enter your vehicle details, list your miles and fuel records, and generate your IFTA quarterly fuel tax report.

Say goodbye to the days of complicated calculations. Our IFTA software will accurately calculate your IFTA fuel tax rates and IFTA tax based on the information provided. Never worry about over or underpaying again. We can also convert your miles to kilometers or gallons to kilometers and vice versa at any time.

Plus, our built-in diagnostic error audit can be run on your reports to catch any fundamental filing errors based on your estimated miles per gallon. It will recognize when miles traveled aren't between adjacent states, and if you purchased fuel in a state, you have not traveled in.

File Your IFTA Taxes Online

Read More »

What New Truckers Need To Know About IFTA Reporting

If you are new to the trucking industry let me just say congratulations on earning your CDL and completing your driving training. We completely understand that team driving is not the easiest thing to get through. However, you’re not completely out of the woods yet.

You still have a lot to learn about the road and that will only come from being behind the wheel. But, you will also need to learn how to manage all of the required trucking taxes. Everything from Heavy Vehicle Use Tax, your IRP, and of course your IFTA quarterly fuel tax report. To help you get started here is what new truckers need to know about IFTA reporting.

What New Truckers Need To Know About IFTA Reporting

IFTA, or the International Fuel Tax Agreement, is an arrangement between 48 of the United States and 10 Canadian provinces to report fuel use by motor carriers that operate in more than one jurisdiction (state). The IFTA fuel tax redistributes fuel taxes equally among the jurisdictions.

To show you filed your IFTA return and pay the taxes owed by the deadline you will be issued an IFTA license and IFTA stickers. The license should be kept in your truck at all times and the IFTA stickers are displayed under your driver’s side window.

Vehicle Qualifications For IFTA Reporting

Your vehicle qualifies for IFTA reporting if it travels between more than one jurisdiction and:

• Has two axles and a gross vehicle weight exceeding 26,000 pounds
• Has two axles and a registered weight exceeding 26,000 pounds
• Has a combination weight exceeding 26,000 pounds
• Has three or more axles regardless of weight

IFTA Quarterly Fuel Tax Report Requirements

You are required to complete an IFTA report four times a year and file with your base jurisdiction (home state). Your base jurisdiction is where your qualifying vehicles are required to be registered and where your information is available in the event of an IFTA audit.

To complete your IFTA fuel tax return you will need to report:

• The total miles traveled per jurisdiction including taxable and nontaxable, IFTA and non-IFTA, and trip permit miles
• The total gallons of fuel consumed in each jurisdiction including taxable and nontaxable, IFTA, and trip permit miles
• The number of gallons of fuel purchased per jurisdiction
• The tax paid on each gallon of fuel purchased per jurisdiction
• And the current tax rate per jurisdiction

File With The Best IFTA Software Available

If all of this information is slightly headache-inducing we totally understand. Which is why at ExpressIFTA we make IFTA reporting simple. Our IFTA software for reporting includes innovative features that let you upload your IFTA fuel tax information at your own pace. Upload your trip information as you go or all at once with each quick entry screen. You can even upload your miles from your fuel card.

Don’t worry about handling any complicated calculation yourself, because we will automatically calculate IFTA fuel tax rates for you. And all of your information will be kept in an easy-to-read report that can be easily printed and used to complete your return.

File Your IFTA Return

Read More »

How To Avoid The Dreaded IFTA Audit

The deadline for filing your IFTA quarterly fuel tax report is only a few days away. That means you need to do two things. You need to prepare and file your IFTA fuel tax form before the April 30th deadline and make sure all your required information is correct to avoid expensive IRS penalties and audits.

How To Avoid The Dreaded IFTA Audit

If your IFTA Fuel Tax Form is rejected your chances of undergoing an IFTA audit could increase, and trust us, that’s the last thing you want. Audits are not only time-consuming and frustrating. Avoid the hassle by learning how to avoid the dreaded IFTA audit with ExpressIFTA.

File IFTA Report On Time

The best thing you can do to avoid an IFTA audit is to file your quarterly fuel tax report by the deadline. This means you will need to file by the deadline date (preferably before) four times a year.

1st Quarter- April 30
2nd Quarter- July 31
3rd Quarter - October 31
4th Quarter - January 31

IFTA Filing By Jurisdiction (Home State)

You will need to file your IFTA report with your base jurisdiction (home state) according to its rules and regulations. Each state has their own IFTA filing rules, and if you don't file based on these regulations your report could be rejected. An example of this would be if your state required you to e-file, but you paper file. Check out your base jurisdiction requirements here.

Correct IFTA Fuel Tax Rates and Calculations

Before filing it is important to double check the information on your return. Figuring out your IFTA fuel tax can be complicated due to time-consuming calculations. That is why you should let ExpressIFTA handle all of the IFTA calculations with 100% accuracy on your behalf.

The process is quick and easy. All you have to do is create your free account, enter your business and vehicle information, and enter your IFTA records at your own pace. You can keep detailed trip sheet entries or enter all of your information on a monthly basis with the quick entry screen.

Simplify IFTA Reporting

You can use the bulk upload to import all of your information at once with our premade template or your own Excel file. Also, you can import all of your mileage information directly from your GPS, and we even accept ELD data to make the process incredibly quick and painless.

Your information will be compiled into an easy-to-read IFTA report that contains all of the calculations you need to complete your return. Each equation is 100% accurate based on the information you enter so you won’t have to waste time-solving complicated calculations.

If you have questions our live US-based support team is here to help. We’re available over the phone Monday - Friday from 9 AM to 6 PM EST at 704.234.6005. We also offer live chat and 24/7 email support at support@ExpressIFTA.com.

File Your IFTA Quarterly Fuel Tax Report!

Read More »

The Valentines on the Road Guide For Truckers

Valentine's day is only a few days away, but it doesn’t have to get you down. As a trucker on the road, you might be missing your loved ones back at home, but that’s no reason not to celebrate the big day.

Cupid works in mysterious ways and will even help you spread the love right from your rig. Modern technology has made it easy to celebrate from long distances, so check out how to create a special day for your loved ones at home.

The Valentines on the Road Guide For Truckers 

Send a Gift

Just because you’re far away trucking doesn’t mean that you don’t have time to send a meaningful gift to your loved ones back at home. There are tons of flower delivery services that will deliver flowers and chocolate in time.

Like 1-800 Flowers, for example. Also, you don’t have to send stuff home, surprise your loved one by having their gift sent to their office, so they can be in the spotlight for the day. Sometimes for ladies, there’s nothing like being able to make co-workers jealous by receiving a thoughtful gift.

If your special one isn’t the type to enjoy the standard chocolate and flowers think outside the box with a surprise from Amazon Prime. They will make sure your present gets delivered by valentines day if you order it now. They have tools, video games, t-shirts, and everything you can imagine to send the perfect gift. They even have suggestions for under $10.

Plan a Date

Make time for your Valentine by scheduling a virtual date online. You can give them a call to tell them how much they mean to you or even use Skype or Facetime to see how their day is going.

Maybe you can call each other when you’re ready to have dinner or from a restaurant you’re both attending from separate locations. Sometimes setting aside time for a person can be more meaningful than a physical gift.

Plan a Surprise Future Date

You don’t have to only let your trucking loved ones know how much they mean to you when the calendar says to. Whenever you have a day off back at home use it to surprise your loved ones with a spontaneous Valentines celebration.

You can have all the ingredients you need to cook a special dinner at home or fun evening out planned. Just remember to have the cards and candy ready. Your spouse and kids will love this surprise.

Get Crafty

Use your skills to handcraft something from the heart. Hand paint a mug or make a card by hand telling your partner how much you appreciate them. By taking the time to make a meaningful gift you’ll be able to show that you really care. Plus, it’s always fun to make a card from your spouse’s pet.

Happy Valentines Day

Even though you’re on the road, cupid and modern technology can help you celebrate Valentine’s day with your loved ones. Don’t feel blue, make the time to show your family, spouse, friends, or anyone special in your life how much they mean to you!

Share your OTR Valentines day tips in the comment section below and visit ExpressIFTA for more trucking blogs.

Read More »