IFTA Help
 

Ok, I need help with this stupid piece of crap dumb stupid yellow green dumb stupid crapola IFTA junk.....Ok...I'm better

Do you guys sit down every night on the road and record how many miles you did in each state? I didn't. Do I now go through my log book and try to re trace my steps over the past few months? I can use my National Truck Stop Directory that lists how many miles for each RT through each state.

But seriously. Or do you guys just estimate and say, oh lets see, I'll put down 1000 here 500 there and guess?

This is gonna take some time!!!

Sucks huh! I always spaced it off until the end also. I used my streets and trips software to come with the miles.

simple write down your milage as you exit each state

more simple get pc miler it list milage you travel in each state

Steve -

Thank goodness you finally had a glitch. I was beginning to think you knew it all and were perfect, too! :wink:

You can use a map and get as close as you can on the miles, but for future reference an easier way is to just jot down the odometer reading when you cross a state line. I keep a notebook just for that purpose. It also helps if I have to rebuild a log for some reason (not an illegal reason, something more like an accidental shredding reason :roll: ) My logs also have space on them for your mileage and fuel purchases in each state. It is very handy for doing IFTA at the end of the quarter. All I have to do is add up each state and make sure they total my odometer total for that quarter and verify my fuel entries to my fuel tickets. You can get them at JJ Keller or have a print shop make some for you. Since I am independent, I had a print shop make mine - single ply 'cause I'm the driver and the carrier. 2 ply is redundant and storage is the same location, so if I lost driver copy I'd also lose carrier copy. 1000 loose-leaf sheets for $88 with name and address imprinted, including binder holes punched where ever you want them.

Hope this helps.

We mark the odometer reading on a trip sheet when entering and leaving each state. We submit them to our permit service and they do the rest.

Re: IFTA Help
 

Hey Steve, you could use PC miler, plot the route and the program will give you the miles in every state along the route you traveled.

i did my old mans ifta return but he wrote down on a chart i made up on the computer with all the states i knew he travels trough and have him fill out each day with mile and galon in wich state and at the end of 3 months i just add them up fill in ifta chart write check and send in. the whole thing takes me 15 to 20 min and my old man never complained about having to write down the info.

Ya, I hear you all. I guess I just need to write down the miles every night. Like I said, The National Truck Stop Directory has maps that list the distance for every highway through every state so I'll use that and retrace my steps.

I always put down beginning odometer entering and exiting a state.

SOB, I'm going through HELL here. What a pain in the butt for not writting down EVERY day!!!!!!!!!!!!

Looks like I have to do IFTA which includes NM and NY then I have to fill out and pay again for NM and NY


SOB

Internet Truckstop has a fuel tax feature. It's not free but it might be worth checking into in lieu of purchasing another program. I know a couple of o/o's that use it.

Steve,

Keep in mind that you need to record the odometer reading as you enter/leave a state, not necessarily at the end of the day. You may cross several state lines in a single day and should record your reading at each one.

Some have posted that they use a small, palm sized, dictation/transcription recorder, available in some truckstops and office supply stores, to record the miles at each state line and later enter it into a more permanent form, ( example, "leaving GA, entering SC, I-95, odometer 504,233.") as classicsx2000 stated, above, in her post.

The recorder can also be used to record directions to a receiver and other reminders, then played back as needed without having to read written/scribbled instructions while, at the same time, trying to read street signs and deal with traffic.

Yup, all good suggestions. I've only been running for a few months in 2006 and this is going to take hours to do.

I just do appx. miles driven, been like that forever and never any problems, have friends who do it like that also..whole quarter takes me about 2 hours to fill.

I was going to head out today on a load but took my truck off the boards early this morning. It took me about 10 hours to do my IFTA, NY and NM tax forms!! I know I didn't come close to where I've been. NEVER AGAIN. I'm going to record everything every day as I go. Not going through this 4 times a year.

Keep a small notebook on your dash - when you leave the house, write down you beginning mileage. When you cross a state line, write down your mileage. When you arrive at a shipper or receiver, write down your mileage. At the end of each day, fill out a form that shows what highways you traveled in each state, and what miles you traveled in that state.

Yup, I'll be doing that. I was totally freaking out this morning trying to remember where I went.

How come I have to pay tax for NY and NM on the IFTA then I have to pay more again on there own tax forms? Sounds a little redundant. What happens if you don't have a NM or NY sticker?

If I remember correctly you have to have that NY sticker to run there. I didn't think they issued trip permits. Easy to move through NY without one since they don't have fixed weigh stations...just don't get popped. They don't move too swiftly on getting those stickers out either. If you file IFTA for NY miles without having the permit, I don't know if that triggers a flag. For NM you can stop at the port of entry and get a trip permit. They don't have a sticker, just a cab card that you have to flash at the booth when you go through. If you ever get a load to OR you'll need to get a trip permit as well...BEFORE you get to the port of entry. KY is another state that has a road use tax.

Ya, I have KY and OR but since I didn't run there those took 2 seconds to write 0. I only had to pay NY $1.64 since I used the thruway.

If you don't have the NM permit, you will have to stop at the port of entry, and pay the tax on the spot.

Right, the trip permit costs you whatever the tax would be. Sorry if I wasn't clear.

I'm late in getting into this thread.... had laptop issues. I use a simple trip sheet for each load. It has all 48 listed with beginning and end odo's, it also has the date of the run, shipper & commodity and states ran. I then file this with each load. At the end of the month its all there on my computer. 8)

If I remember correctly you have to have that NY sticker to run there.

Called HUT

Does that mean you can't even drive through NY without a sticker? I ran through NY 4 times last year but since I was on toll roads I didn't have to pay hardly any tax on there form.

I put my own form together where I can make a note of all miles and gallons purchased. I prefer to do mine at the end of each trip. It is much easier to do with each trip rather than having to go back and reconstruct from memory. You need to make sure your mileage is as close as possible in case you get audited. I usually just check the map and write the miles down according to the Rand McNally. I just don't like trying to write my miles down while driving and don't want to stop every time I cross a state line.

Yup, I think I'll make my own form today before I head out. In a way I'm glad it happened. I won't make the same mistake again. I should also keep track of my expenses on paper. I have tons of receipts and I have no idea what they were for.

Steve....ya gotta do a bit less "killing aliens" and a bit more expense reporting on a daily basis when you shut down in the TS.... :wink:

Not legally! Every time NY DOT will set a "check point", the first thing they do;- look for that sticker!

There is a booklet you can find at Pilot and some other truck stops which helps keep track of expenses. It has everything listed and costs about $3. You can have the entire year in one booklet. It is about letter size and stapled to keep the entire year together.

No way man, my job is to drive around to all truck stops and rid the earth of alien life forms using only my light wand although it's a little limp at the moment so I'm seeking out the blue orb of strength right now.

I dont know about NH, but I'm pretty sure its required for IFTA/IRP that you keep an individual mileage record for your truck so you can corroborate the info you filed with ifta/irp in the event of an audit. Correct me if I'm wrong...

I think your correct for NH also. I made up a form that I've been filling out every day to keep track of mu mileage and where I buy fuel. What a pain.

Is that your truck in your picture? I didn't know they made convertibles.

I prefer the term "drop top" myself