Category: ”trucking company”

Drive Safe And Stay Safe: Important Trucking Tips To Know This Summer

When driving a truck, there are several things every driver should know to stay safe on the road. ExpressTruckTax is here to give you some helpful tips to ensure that you stay safe this summer and that others around you stay safe too. Driving a big truck can be a big responsibility so it is always good to remember that it differs significantly from driving a standard car in many ways. 

A semi-truck has a greater braking distance than a standard car, so it is important to keep a large distance between you and the vehicle in front of you. This prevents the vehicle from being rear-ended if you don’t have a big enough distance to stop when driving behind someone. If you make sure to keep your distance then you will not only keep yourself safe but also keep others safe too. This is also true for stopping at stop signs or intersections.

It is also important to check mirrors and your blind spots when driving. A semi-truck has especially large blind spots on the right side and back. Because of this, it is important to stay in the right lane when possible to prevent people from passing on your right side. If you do not see them then that can put both you and the other driver at risk. 

Another important thing to remember is that turning in a semi-truck is a lot different than turning in a regular vehicle. When turning it is important to remember that turning takes a lot of extra space than in an ordinary car. It is important to check your mirrors and surroundings to make sure it is safe to turn. If you do not check thoroughly, then you run the risk of hitting another vehicle and causing serious injury. 

Driving at a safe speed is another important thing to remember when driving a truck. This ensures that if you need to stop you can do so safely without slamming the brakes to avoid hitting the vehicle in front of you. It is important to also maintain a safe speed when turning or driving on curved roads to keep your vehicle from tipping over. 

Always remember to wear a seatbelt when driving a vehicle. This is especially important for preventing any serious injuries if an accident were to occur because many traffic-related deaths occur due to the lack of a seatbelt. 

Staying focused on the road and not being distracted by things like your phone is also important while driving. Talking or texting while driving without using hands-free features is illegal in many states. This is because it promotes distracted driving and could very well lead to there being an accident. 

When driving a truck it is important to keep your stamped Schedule 1 on hand in case you get pulled over. If you do not have your Schedule 1 in your truck then there is a good chance that you will receive a ticket or be penalized. In order to keep this from happening you must E-file Form 2290. The best way to do this is with ExpressTruckTax. With ExpressTruckTax, you can file your Form 2290 with ease and receive your stamped Schedule 1 in minutes. What are you waiting for? File Form 2290 with ExpressTruckTax today!

We Can’t Wait To See You At The Mid-America Trucking Show: Fifty Years And Counting!

The Mid-American Trucking Show or MATS for short is happening March 24-26th, 2022 in Louisville, Kentucky. This year marks the show’s 50th anniversary. Founded in 1972 to make trucking shows more accessible to the eastern part of the United States, the show has since grown to be the largest trucking show in the world. 

With over one million square feet of exhibits, over a thousand exhibitors, and over forty special events, the show’s over seventy-two thousand attendees are sure to have a great time! The event features live entertainment, many special guests, and talks covering current industry-related topics. There will be an opening celebration, a concert featuring Clay Walker, a Veterans in Trucking event, a truck and tractor pulling event, a PKY Truck Championship, over thirty acres of free parking, and much more!

Everyone who plans to attend the show will surely have a great time. We will be there too and can’t wait to meet you and network with you! We know this time of year can be stressful with the end of this tax year approaching fast and the Heavy Vehicle Use Tax (HVUT) 22-23 tax year pre-filing season right around the corner. If you are a truck driver and are responsible for filing your Form 2290 for the HVUT, the deadline is coming up and ExpressTruckTax has your back. File soon so you can go to the show not having to worry about accruing any more penalties for late filing! It’s easy! What are you waiting for? File with ExpressTruckTax today!

Filing Your 2290: Which Business Type is Right for You?


Tax season is fast approaching and so is the deadline to file your Form 2290. These forms often ask questions that might seem confusing at first. One of the questions you’re asked when you sign up to file is which business type you are filing under? What is a business type and how do you know which one is right for your trucking business? 

Below, you will find a helpful guide explaining more about each type to determine which is the best fit for you.

Sole Proprietor or Single Member LLC

To sum it up, a sole proprietor is the single owner of a business.

S-Corporation of LLC as S-Corp

S-Corporations are corporations that elect to pass corporate income, losses, deductions, and credits through their shareholders for federal tax purposes. This allows S-corporations to avoid double taxation on the corporate income.

C-Corporation or LLC as C-Corp

C-Corporation, Under United States federal income tax law, is any corporation that is taxed separately from its owners. Unlike C-Corporations, S-Corporations are not taxed separately.

Partnership or LLC as Partnership

A partnership is where two or more people own the business.

Estates

Estates are all of the money and property owned by a particular person, especially at death.

Trusts and Fiduciaries

A trust is a relationship when one person holds the title to the property. A fiduciary is a person or organization that acts on behalf of another person. 

Exempt Organization

In order for an organization to be considered exempt, it must be a charitable organization, private foundation, or other similar organization that is exempt from federal income tax.

What Happens if You Choose the Wrong Business Type?

Don’t worry it happens, we all make mistakes. You can simply click your name in the upper-righthand corner and then click the drop-down arrow. You will then click on “My Account” which will lead you to a page with multiple options. From there select the option titled “Manage Businesses” by clicking on the pencil icon. 

When you see the name of the business you want to change, click on the pencil icon to the right of it and it will take you to the page that will allow you to change the business type. 

Then under business type select the dropdown and from there you can select the business type that best describes your trucking business.

If you have any questions please call 704.234.6005. 

File your 2290 Today!

The FMCSA Has Extended The COVID-Related Waiver Effective Now through November!

With COVID cases still on the rise, the FMCSA has decided to extend the COVID-19 emergency declaration until the end of November. 

This is important to be aware of because, as the demand for medical supplies rises, so does the need for truckers to ship them to places in need. 

What Was Waived?

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) waived Part 395.3, which refers to the maximum driving time allowed for carriers providing emergency relief. 

This declaration was originally set to expire on August 31st, but FMCSA decided to extend it and is still effective through November 30th. 

What does this mean?

This means that any carrier that is transporting essential services, such as medical care or essential supplies related to COVID-19, will be able to go over the maximum driving time that is typically allowed.

This is because the demand for these items is high, and healthcare providers all over the country need these supplies in order to provide assistance to people affected by this sickness. 

What Types of Transportation Are Affected?

The extension of this waiver only affects the transportation of the following:

  • Livestock and Livestock feed
  • Medical supplies and equipment related to the testing, diagnosis, and treatment of COVID-19
  • Vaccines, medical supplies, and equipment that administer the COVID-19 vaccinations.
  • Supplies and equipment to aid in community safety, sanitation, and prevention of COVID-19 (masks, gloves, disinfectant, etc.)
  • Food, paper products, and groceries to keep stores stocked in case of an emergency
  • Any type of gasoline
  • Any supplies to help displaced individuals that were impacted by COVID-19

To be eligible for this maximum driving time waiver, the vehicle must be transporting qualifying commodities that are directly related to COVID-19 relief. 

Why Was It Extended?

The FMCSA decided to extend this waiver as a direct result of rising positive cases, and lower output of COVID-19 vaccinations. 

To keep people healthy and prevent the spread, the demand for supplies is at an all-time high. The nation is relying heavily on truckers to keep the country moving forward in this time of need. 

We Appreciate Our Truckers!

Our country has kept moving forward during this pandemic thanks to the hard work and resilience of our truckers!

Without them, this country would be at a standstill, and we are very appreciative of the long days and nights that truckers give up to help keep this nation continue on, no matter what obstacles they face. 
Keep up the great work truckers! Everyone here at ExpressTruckTax is thankful for your hard work and diligence through this pandemic!

Are You Ready for the Upcoming UCR Deadline?

ExpressTruckTax has some excellent news for the trucking industry! You are now able to complete your annual Unified Carrier Registration process for 2019.

Unified Carrier Registration, or UCR, requires that drivers and companies who operate a commercial motor vehicle for interstate or international commerce, register their business with the state and pay an annual fee based on the size of the fleet.

If you’re a broker, private carrier, or freight forwarder, you are required to register and pay also.

When Do I Need To Register & Pay My UCR Fees?

Great question! You have until April 1 to register and pay your annual fees UCR for 2019.

Here’s what you’ll have to pay this year and next for UCR:

Where Can I Register & Pay UCR Fees?

You can register, process, and pay for your Unified Carrier Registration, or UCR, fees in one place at the Official UCR Board Certified Registration website.

April 1st will be here before you know it, so take a moment and handle your UCR requirements today while you still have time!


Improve Your Trucking Business In 2018

New year new you right? That’s usually how New Year’s resolutions go. You can pick the usual things, like deciding to finally get in shape and maybe eat right. Or you can take 2018 to the next level by improving your trucking business.

It’s a great time to sit down and review the books to see how you can take steps to create a more profitable year in 2018. By taking a step back to put new plans and procedures in place you could really make a difference for yourself and all of your employees.

Improve Your Trucking Business In 2018

Improve Driver Health

As we mentioned above, it’s extremely common for people to vow to get in shape for the new year. You can help your drivers do this by providing them with workout equipment in their rigs. Things like push up handles and resistant straps go a long way, without taking up a lot of space.

You can also get them basic fitness trackers to show them how much they move. This could motivate your drivers to become more active. Don’t forget to cover nutrition, by providing them with the facts on how unhealthy fast food options are and by letting them know what protein packed foods they should be looking for.

Cut Costs 

Go over the books to see where your business is losing money so you can figure out where to save. The number one trucking expense is fuel, so train your drivers on how to be more fuel efficient. They can do this by avoiding stop and go traffic, slowly accelerating, by coming to smooth stops, and more.

You can also save by cutting lodging expenses by sleeping in your rig. All you have to do is make it a little more comfortable for a great night of sleep. Also, by your snacks in bulk to save money by not having to buy your favorite items with marked up prices every time you get hungry.

Retain Drivers

The high turnover rate among drivers can devastate your business. How can you accept loads if you’re constantly searching for new people to drive your trucks? Keep your seats filled by offering better benefits.

Work with your drivers to offer the healthcare coverage that they need. Also, be sure to offer good rewards and incentives for doing a good job and sticking with your company. Maybe offer them prizes for continuously being safe drivers. Plus, you could provide upward mobility and educate them about the industry so they grow as drivers.

Prepare For Tax Season

Tax season is right around the corner. If you miss an important deadline you will find yourself with expensive penalties and fines. Be sure to use ExpressTruckTax to file your 2290 online by your deadline.

Also, you have a lot of employer tax deadlines coming up. You need to file Form W-2, Form 1099-MISC, Form 940 and Form 941 by January 31! Check out how our sister company TaxBandits can help you quickly and easily file by the deadline.

If you need any assistance with Form 2290 give the dedicated, US-based ExpressTruckTax team a call at 704.234.6005. We’re also available via live chat and offer 24/7 email support at support@ExpressTruckTax.com.

Use Factoring To Get Paid The Same Day

The trucking industry can be hard to break into. You need a good cash flow to get your business started and to keep it going. Just because you’ve established yourself as an owner-operator doesn’t mean that you won’t face slow periods where you need a little extra cash flow to get by. Now, this doesn’t mean give up, it simply means consider the option of factoring to get cash fast for your business.

Factoring

Factoring can be the solution to helping you manage your cash flow for your company because it helps you get cash fast because factoring is an advance on accounts receivable.

Basically factoring companies give you a cash advance by paying you for the invoices on loads that you’ve already delivered. Usually, once you deliver a load you won’t get paid for it until 30 to 90 days later, so factoring cuts that time out by paying you the same day.

Drivers and owner-operators tend to turn to factoring as a way to keep their business afloat or to get their business started for a variety of reasons. For example, factoring could be the best option to get paid the same day when drivers can’t cover their bills, when they have a major fuel invoice, or need to pay their drivers. Different companies have varying amounts of time on when drivers actually get paid, and factoring will help drivers get paid the same day instead of waiting.

When you’re just starting out and want lease a new truck factoring can provide the cash that you need to cover business-related purchases in order to get your owner operating business going.

Before you get paid you will negotiate an agreement with the factoring company. The money you get upfront will be a percentage of the amount the load your client owes you. In the factoring agreement, your customer will pay the factoring company for the load you delivered and the factoring company will keep an agreed upon percentage, then you’ll receive the rest.

Our Top Factoring Companies

Here at ExpressTruckTax we pride ourselves in providing quality service and helping truckers out in any way we can, that’s why we’re telling you about two trusted, and outstanding factoring companies that you can turn to for cash advances.

Since 1994 TCI Capital has been helping those in the trucking industry and more get the cash they need on the same day instead of waiting for it. TCI has experienced and knowledgeable representatives to help serve clients with even the most unique funding needs.

Also, TCI offers the credit history and payment trends of potential clients to help companies take on new customers with confidence, and provides online reporting to keep you informed about your transactions at all times.

FleetOne has 28 years of experience in trucking finance and will work hard to get you funding within 24 hours. By providing credit checks and offering an experienced support team to answer all of your questions, FleetOne makes the factoring process quick and simple.

The FleetOne mobile app can be used to make factoring even easier, by providing you with the ability to take a picture of invoices, documents, and more to instantly scan and upload to your FleetOne account. The app also keeps all of your documents and transactions in one convenient location.

ExpressTruckTax is Here To Help

If you have any questions about factoring or about what we can do to help you e-file your HVUT and accurately calculate your IFTA totals please don’t hesitate to contact our dedicated support team at ExpressTruckTax via live chat, phone, or email.

The Issues With Leasing

Do you hear that? It’s the call of the open road, with miles of freedom. It would just be great to be an owner operator right? With the ability to schedule your own dispatches, and to drive without little company policies to follow or a manager constantly watching you to make sure you don’t make mistakes? Well to do that you need your own truck to operate, and one way to do that is by leasing one.

A Little About Leasing

Leasing is basically another word for borrow because you’re using someone else’s equipment. Only instead of ‘borrowing’ the semi truck you’ll be paying to use it. In order to lease a truck, you’ll sit down in an office and agree to a contract with set monthly payments over a certain amount of time. The average lease lasts about three years, then you’ll be on your way, driving a truck that someone else owns.

Many truckers turn to leasing because it’s a quick option to jump in a truck when their credit isn’t in order to buy a truck or their finances aren’t in order, because leasing companies often don’t turn those with bad credit away, and don’t require a down payment.

It’s seen as a good way to start driving as an owner operator while you can get your finances together and credit score up to buy your own truck. However, there are some negatives with leasing to consider.

The Downsides of Leasing

When you lease a truck, it’s not your own. Now you may be comfortable with that, but you also might not be. Part of the call of the open road is the romance of being attached to your truck. Not to be mushy or anything but in the automotive industry people really love their vehicles. Will you be able to give your truck up at the end of the agreement?

Plus, when the truck isn’t yours you can’t modify it. Lease contracts will prevent you from installing lift kits, or the latest technology to make your life easier as a trucker.

If you think that leasing is your way to get into a brand new truck you’re wrong. Just like with buying a newer trucker, leasing a newer truck comes with higher monthly payments. Chances are that if you’re trying to start your business you’ll be in an older truck with a lower monthly payment at first.

Also, leasing isn’t a way to get out of higher monthly payments due to poor credit. Your monthly rates will still be higher when leasing if you have a bad credit score.

Speaking of monthly payments, did you know that leasing companies have protecting their vehicles from depreciation in their best interest? So, they want their trucks to be perfectly repairs and maintained. will add on a maintenance fee to your monthly payment. They’ll also add in the cost of insurance.

Don’t forget to watch out for lease contracts that have step up agreements, meaning that over time the amount you pay will increase.

If you buy a used truck you can use it for its trade in value to help you out with your down payment on a new truck. However, with leasing you have to give the truck back, leaving you with nothing to trade in.

Sure, you can lease to own, but generally, at the end of your leasing contract you’ll end up paying more for the truck than you would have if you would have simply bought the truck up front.

Is Leasing For You?

Sometimes leasing is the right option to help guys get their business started. As their business grows they can buy their own new or used truck or continue to lease. Speak with a financial advisor to figure out your best option for your current financial situation and business plan.

For more trucking trips visit ExpressTruckTax.com and please share your thoughts about leasing in the comment section below.

6 Qualities To Adopt To Improve As An Owner Operator

In the trucking industry, many drivers dream of being an owner operator with the freedom of making their own decisions without the say of some company manager watching their every move, not to mention the bigger paychecks. However, owner operators don’t become successful overnight, and many of them fail. Check out these traits commonly found in successful owner operators to see if you have what it takes.

Successful Traits Of Owner Operators

1. Even though owner operators are independent, they are not afraid to ask for help. They go to financial advisors to figure out the best business plan and they go to accountants to help them with their taxes. In most cases, accountants know where and how to save you money or get you more money with your returns.

They ask other successful owner operators questions about the business, as well as gather all the new information they can. There’s always new information to learn from new magazine articles, blog posts, podcasts, and more.

2. Successful owner operators have a plan, and they stay focused on their business plan with long term and short term goals to make their business plan successful. They don’t just buy a truck and hop on down the road. They set goals for how much income they should get for the month and the year. Sometimes they try to make a certain amount of trips.

Goals are set on an individual basis, so set the ones that best fit your needs. Also, be decisive when you make these goals, to avoid wasting a lot of time procrastinating. Owner operators need the ability to quickly make decisions on a daily basis, so if you’re indecisive practice making choices without delay.

3. They’re committed. The owner operators who make it know that they’re playing the long game. Sometimes they won’t see success for years, but they don’t give up. Instead, they keep trying to build their careers.

You have to commit more time to your job, meaning you’ll drive weekends and you’ll have more overtime hours. Chances are you’ll miss one or two baseball games or the school play. If you like to be home more often then you might want to consider sticking to being a company driver.

Also, you have to commit to your clients and we mean really commit. In order to get more business by creating long lasting relationships, you need to regularly call your clients to check in with them and provide outstanding service by making pick ups and drop offs on time.

4. They have good attitudes. It’s impossible to make it as an owner operator without having a positive outlook on things. Don’t let problems get you down, and don’t start cursing everyone and everything. Instead, know that you’ll figure out a way to solve the issue and have a sense of humor about it.

Plus, be honest. Don’t give unrealistic expectations about what you can do or exaggerate about the difficulty of a route to try and entice people to give you sympathy or more money. Know your value to get an accurate figure for your worth.

5. The top owner operators are organized. They have all of their receipts, expenses, and bills accounted for and clearly listed. Plus, they have records of their mileage reports, fuel type, and fuel costs for the IFTA reports, 2290, and more.

You’ll be responsible for all your taxes and all of your paperwork. You’ll need to be able to find it at a moment’s notice, and it would be even better if you remember where all of your important documents are. If you want to make it as an owner operator then your days of having piles of paperwork in random places are a thing of the past.

Owner operators also look a lot better when they keep their trucks clean. Your truck is the tool that makes your business possible and can be seen as your office, so wash off the mud, salt spray, and bird poop to keep it looking all pretty and shiny. Also, keep the inside clean by throwing away trash at every truck stop, cleaning up stains, and taking the necessary measures to keep your cab smelling fresh.

6. Last but not least, successful owner operators are self-sufficient. A major part of being independent is being on your own. You have to hold yourself accountable and plan the best routes to save fuel and make a delivery on time. Only you will be responsible for filing your taxes on time.

You have to be realistic and manage your money well. Before splurging on something awesome like a new dirt bike, remember that sometimes the trucking business gets slow and you’ll need some extra savings set aside to cover all of your bills.

No one will be looking out for your health but you, so be responsible and choose a few healthy meal options, make sure you get enough sleep to drive safely, and get out to exercise by walking around truck stops when you can.

Are You Up To The Challenge?

Do you possess these six success traits that the leading owner operators have? If so it might be time to quit your day job to own and operate your own rig. As long as you have motivation, a good plan, and your finances are in order you can get on your way to becoming a successful owner operator.

For more trucking tips check out ExpressTruckTax.com, and share your thoughts on what it takes to be a successful owner operator in the comment section below.

4 Ways For Owner Operators To Improve Business

Maybe you want to be an owner operator for the obvious reasons like the freedom of owning your own rig and making your own transport decisions, or you’re currently an owner operator looking for ways to improve your business. Either way, it takes a patience and a few attitude adjustments and you’ll have to develop a few new habits in order to get the bigger paychecks to roll in. Luckily we have a little advice on how to make it big as an owner operator.

Successful Qualities In Owner Operators

1. Realize Your Value

Right out of the gate you have the realize that people will pay you for your value. You’ll earn as much as you’re worth, so it’s not good to get cocky and lazy. Assuming that your work is worth more than it is won’t get you anywhere. Instead, you have to put in the time and build quality relationships.

You will have to put in more hours. If you’re already working overtime, unfortunately, you may have to squeeze in even more hours on the road. Your weekend life may become a little nonexistent for a while in order to establish yourself. Also, keep in mind that more hours on the road, means more time away from home, so it’s best to be in a position where your pets and family understand why you’re around less.

With more freedom comes more responsibility. You have to make the calls, schedule dispatches, file all of the paperwork, and more. You also can’t assume that other people will fill out paperwork on time or correctly. Be sure to check in on them and go over their work. 

2. Be Practical With Income

The thrill of a bigger paycheck is extremely exciting. It gets you thinking about all the stuff you could buy, like a lift kit for your wrangler or maybe even the down payment for a pool in your backyard. However, you have to wait before spending money on yourself, because there are bumps in the road.

There will be months where business is slow, your truck will need work done, you could catch an illness that makes you unable to drive for a few days, and you could be apart of an accident. We can’t predict the future, but we do know that some days you’re the windshield and some days you’re the bug. So, make sure you have money set aside to cover emergencies.

When it comes to your truck a warranty can help, but they don’t usually cover everything. Take care of your truck. Keep it clean, take it for regular maintenance and tune-ups. Don’t push those oil changes off! Your truck is your expensive tool, it’s not a toy. It’s best to get the total value out of it so you don’t have to face the high costs of getting a new one. 

3. Market Yourself

People won’t magically come to you, you have to make yourself available, and you have to find them. Then build long-lasting relationships with them. Building a longterm relationship with a carrier will bring in more business on a regular basis. You don’t want to have to go hunting for more work every month.

However, not every carrier is the right carrier. Some cut corners and have bad practices. Research everything you can about your options as far as their rates, costs, customer records, safety records, internal relationships, and more.

Take advantage of the internet. Have a site for your business built and spread yourself all across social media and trucking boards. Create a LinkedIn profile and place ads on Craigslist that include your resume. Make it possible for anyone looking for an owner operator to find you. Also, establishing a web presence could lead you to lifelong networking opportunities to keep your business afloat for as long as you can keep on trucking.

Being an owner operator is expensive. Be sure to total in the costs of gas, meals, truck insurance, cargo insurance, tax fees, truck payments, and more. If you like getting breaks on a few of these expenses maybe you should stick to being a company driver.

4. Be Patient

Stay calm, and keep driving. It takes a long time to become a successful owner operator, we’re talking months to years. On average, an owner operator takes home about 40k during their first year, and that’s if they work extremely hard.

You need to slow down and be a planner. Make meetings with financial advisors to get a business plan together. Take the time to consider all the options when buying a truck, between new, used, or leasing.

Heck, take a step back to think about if you truly want to be an owner operator. Seek out other owner operators and ask them for advice on how to get started and what it really takes.

Do You Have What It Takes?

As long as your patient, realistic, ready to put in extra work, and make financially smart decisions you’ll be on your way to becoming a successful owner operator. For more trucking tips visit ExpressTruckTax.com, and be sure to comment on what it takes to be a successful owner operator in the comment section below.