They aren't really paying the tax - they are paying any difference in what is owed vs. what you prepaid at the pump. But you are correct to a point. In some cases the states who are either not charging tax at the pump, or are charging less tax at the pump, are actually charging more per gallon for the fuel. In the example I gave earlier, the actual pump price in PA was cheaper than the pump price in IN, even though PA charges a lot more fuel tax.

It all depends upon how many miles you run per year, and where you fuel. My IFTA bills usually are less than $100, assuming I have to pay at all. I try to keep my IFTA bill as close to zero as possible.

Yes I agree,but I would think that just my savings at the pump alone would be pretty significant.There have been times that if I could make it to IN it was 20-30 cents a gallon cheaper than PA

You are in a situation that is completely different than either of the carriers I've been leased on with. If I were in your situation, I'd fuel wherever it was the cheapest as well.

Yep and I do,you also have an advantage over most of fueling at cost+,so I may not be that far ahead of you but most others I would be.

Cost plus is the greatest thing ever invented.

Sometimes it is less expensive to fuel the the states where fuel is cheaper, sometimes it isn't. I think Landstar does a good job with new BCO's in educating them as to what they are really paying for fuel. Steve still doesn't seem to understand about how to calculate the actual cost of fuel. It doesn't make much difference when you are a hobby trucker. But as for the rest of us, you really need to stay on top of those fuel costs. When I was running the left coast on a regular basis, I usually fueled in Kingman, AZ before going into California (I normally traveled I-40). There have been a few times when fuel was actually cheaper in California than Arizona. Most of the time I try to not buy fuel in California unless I am putting a lot of miles on in that state. When I ran out there I rarely had fuel tax of more than $25/quarter. I believe the most was around $75/quarter. You need to weight the costs out. Some people don't seem to want to mess with it. Personally, I don't want to give the government any more than I absolutely have to. And for the record, I have always watched my fuel tax and costs, even when I was leased to a carrier. The carriers that I did lease to did not pay my fuel tax. I paid those myself. It is foolish to not be aware of what it costs to run your truck. Fueling in the wrong states can cost you a lot of money during the course of a year, even over and above any tax savings.

BINGO!! AMEN!! I have tried to explain this a million times and it falls on deaf ears.....

It didn't matter as much when fuel was cheap, but now that fuel is upwards of $4.00 per gallon, it adds up fast.

It is more a matter of principle with me about the toll roads. That and the money. It just bugs me to pay double to run in a state. You pay the toll and also the fuel tax. As high as the tolls have gotten, it has offset much of any fuel savings you might have. If it made that much difference in the time savings on a time critical run, I would consider it. One of the last times I recall taking a toll road was a few years ago in a snow storm. I took the PA turnpike for a few miles rather than I-68. I felt the road would be more clear. It cost more than $20 for just a few miles. If it were to do over, I am not sure that I would have taken the toll road. I think that I would have been as well off on I-68. :?

Doesn't the tolls paid offset some of the fuel tax ? Maybe they only do it in New York like that ? You report how many miles you ran the Thruway and it goes towards the fuel tax or something to that effect so it won't be like totally paying double. I haven't dealt with it much. 8)