Industries · Trucking & transportation
Accounting & Tax for Trucking and Transportation Businesses
Built for carriers
We know the business of trucking
Trucking runs on thin margins, heavy regulation and a lot of paperwork — fuel receipts, logbooks, quarterly IFTA returns, the annual Heavy Highway Vehicle Use Tax and more. Miss a filing and the penalties add up fast. Miss a deduction and you pay more tax than you should.
We help owner-operators and fleet owners stay compliant, keep more of what they earn and plan for growth: tracking per diem and fuel, choosing the right way to buy or lease equipment, structuring the business as it grows and running payroll for drivers and staff. Whether you’re based near the I-75 corridor or run routes across the country, we work with you wherever the road takes you.
- Year-round planning built around your cash flow
- Quarterly IFTA and annual Form 2290 support
- Monthly books that show your cost per mile
What we cover
Trucking tax and accounting, covered end to end
Owner-operator taxes
Schedule C or entity returns, quarterly estimates and planning.
Per diem
Tracking days on the road and claiming the transportation-industry rate.
Fuel & mileage tracking
Clean records by truck and by jurisdiction.
Form 2290 (HVUT)
Heavy Highway Vehicle Use Tax filings and Schedule 1 for registration.
IFTA support
Quarterly fuel tax reporting across every state you run.
Depreciation on rigs & equipment
Section 179 and bonus depreciation strategy for tractors and trailers.
Driver payroll
W-2 driver payroll, withholding and quarterly filings.
1099 contractors
Classification, W-9 collection and 1099-NEC filing.
Entity structure for fleets
LLC, S corp and multi-entity planning as you add trucks.
Free eBook
Trucking & Transportation eBook
Free download
Download the Trucking & Transportation eBook
- The deductions owner-operators most often miss
- How per diem, IFTA and Form 2290 fit together
- When it’s time to switch to an S corporation
FAQ
Trucking tax questions
What is per diem for truck drivers?
Per diem is a daily allowance for meals and incidental expenses when you’re away from home overnight. Self-employed drivers subject to DOT hours-of-service rules can generally deduct 80% of the IRS special transportation-industry rate for each qualifying day on the road.
Do I need to file Form 2290?
If you operate a highway motor vehicle with a taxable gross weight of 55,000 pounds or more, you generally must file Form 2290 and pay the Heavy Highway Vehicle Use Tax. The tax period runs July 1 through June 30, and you need the stamped Schedule 1 to register your truck.
Can you help with IFTA reporting?
Yes. We help carriers track miles and fuel by jurisdiction and prepare quarterly IFTA returns, which are due the last day of the month after each quarter ends.
Is it better to buy or lease my truck for taxes?
Buying can unlock large depreciation deductions (including bonus depreciation or Section 179 where eligible), while leasing spreads deductions over time. The right answer depends on your cash flow and income, so we model both.
Should my trucking business be an LLC or an S corp?
Many owner-operators start as sole proprietors or single-member LLCs and elect S corp status once profits grow. We’ll help you decide when the switch makes sense — see new business setup.
Do you run payroll for drivers?
Yes. We run payroll for W-2 drivers, file 1099s for contractors and help you classify workers correctly. See our payroll services.