Category: express 2290

Introduction To Dealing With Freight Brokers

Posted on December 6, 2010 by - booking a freight load, dealing with freight brokers, express 2290, freight load board

Featured Blogger
Benjamin Bellville

Dealing with freight brokers as I covered in previous posts is an integral part of the freight logistics process, perhaps the most important if you will be getting the majority of your freight from freight load boards. This job goes hand in hand with customer relations and building your trucking companies image. In this introduction to dealing with freight brokers I will go over the basic attitude and approach you should have when booking a load.

When you make a call on a load that you find on a freight load board you will be entering into what is a business negotiation. Remember it is your business you do not have to agree to anything you feel is not in the best interest of your company. This is not a time to be weak, nor is it a time to be unreasonable. In every business deal there exists what I call the “Sweet Spot” of a deal. This is the spot where everyone involved makes their fair share of the money out there to be made on a load.

One of the main problems in this industry is that not many freight brokers or trucking companies believe in this theory,instead everyone is out to take the other side for every penny they can get. This more than anything is what creates the freight rate volatility that is synonymous with the trucking industry. Contrary to what you may have heard there are plenty of fair freight brokers out there to do business with.

When you are negotiating be upfront with the broker and let them know exactly what you need payed to haul the load for them (DO NOT just ask them what it pays, you start the bidding!) Just like in any negotiation start a little higher than what you could really do the load for, but be realistic. If you call and demand $3 a mile for every load you haul you will find yourself sitting around and going broke very quickly, it’s just not going to happen. Be willing to bend a little if you feel it is someone who you would want to do business with in the future.

You would be surprised that loyalty still does exist in the trucking industry though it is harder to find these days. By being flexible and respectful of good brokers you may eventually get on their go to list. This is when they will start calling you out of the blue to offer you their best paying freight because they know you are reliable and dependable and have done great work for them in the past. No one is going to just start feeding a new company the best freight they have as those are their more important customers that they need to be sure are serviced to the utmost standards. It took me in some cases 10-15 on time non damaged loads before I started getting higher paying freight more frequently with certain brokers.

Finally if a deal can’t be reached it’s important to remember that you may still be dealing with that particular freight broker again in the future. Make sure they remember you by always stating your name and your company name clearly. Be genuine and say things such as, “Sorry we could not reach a deal on this one, maybe we’ll get together in the future.” Because of using this approach I could go into my broker list and call any of them and to this day they would remember me, this is what you want to achieve.

Remember any part of a great business game plan includes doing business with people who have your success in mind, be sure to visit Express2290 and find out why they are the premier excise tax service around and what they can offer your company.

What Happens If I Forgot to File My Form 2290 to the IRS?

Posted on October 8, 2010 by - 2290, 2290 online, 2290 penalty, 2290 Schedule 1, efile, express 2290, Express Excise, HVUT, IRS, late, Tax 2290, Truck Tax

A 2290 can be filed with the IRS at any time after the deadline has passed but the tax due may be subject to penalties and interest. The penalties for filing late will not be imposed if you can show reasonable cause for not filing on time.

The penalty for failing to file IRS Form 2290 in a timely manner is equal to 4.5 percent of the total tax due, assessed on a monthly basis up to five months. Late filers not making an HVUT payment also face an additional monthly penalty equal to 0.5 percent of total tax due. Additional interest charges of 0.54 percent per month accrue as well.

As you can see, the penalties for failing to file can add up quickly. HVUT for an 80,000 lbs vehicle would typically cost about $550. However, for every month that passes without filing, penalties and interest add more than $30 to the total tax due. If you fail to file for 5 months, the total HVUT tax due to the IRS for that vehicle would be more than $700.

Additionally, many states won’t permit the vehicle to be registered without proof of payment for the HVUT. Needless to say, it’s important to file your Form 2290 on time!

If you would like more information about heavy vehicle use taxes and penalties and interest, please visit the IRS or DOT websites.

IRS To Stop Mailing Out Tax Forms

Posted on October 5, 2010 by - 2290, 2290 Amendments, 2290 online, e-file online, efile, efile2290, express 2290, Express Excise, Express2290, file, Form 2290, Form2290, HVUT, IRS, irs 2290, Schedule 1, Tax 2290, Truck Tax

The IRS continues to encourage taxpayers to E-File in order to save time and money!

The IRS has announced that starting next year it will stop mailing out tax forms as an effort to reduce the costs associated with printing and postage. However, the IRS also cites the growing trend of electronically filing as a major reason for the change.

Have you considered E-Filing IRS Form 2290 for your heavy vehicle use taxes (HVUT)? It’s fast, convenient, and secure! Stop driving to the “nearest” IRS office miles away. Stop waiting in line or wondering if the IRS received your 2290 you put in the mail. You can electronically file your single-vehicle IRS Form 2290 for just $9.90. Receive your stamped Schedule 1 back in minutes. Electronically file today!

For more information about the new IRS policy, please visit the IRS website at http://www.irs.gov/individuals/article/0,,id=228162,00.html

How Do We Keep Our 2290 Prices So Low?

Posted on October 4, 2010 by - 2290, 2290 Amendments, 2290 online, 2290 Schedule 1, e-file 2290, e-file online, efile2290, express 2290, Express Excise, Express2290, Form 2290, Form2290, HVUT, irs 2290, Tax 2290, Truck Tax

We get asked this question all the time and we love it! We can’t say why the other companies charge so much but we can certainly explain why we keep our prices so low. The short answer is value and customer loyalty.

As a single vehicle owner-operator, we understand how important it is to manage your time and money. We’re here to help. We believe very strongly in solid, long-term customer relationships. Our business model is founded on providing more features and better services for less than the other guys – a lot less. For just $9.90, you can e-file your IRS Form 2290 and still get all the great services and features that we provide to every one of our Express2290 customers.

We believe that this approach helps establish long term customer relationships, repeat business, and customer referrals. We’re in this for the long haul and we hope you are too.

Want proof for yourself? Look at the other E-Filing providers and the services they offer (or don’t offer!) Then come check out all of the services you get with Express2290 for just $9.90. You can even try our program for free. Give us a call right here in the Queen City (Charlotte, NC) and experience our USA-based customer support. We dare you to compare. We know you’ll be blown away! E-File your single vehicle tax 2290 forms today for just $9.90!

A Genuine Thank You to Our Customers!!

Posted on September 2, 2010 by - 2290, 2290 Amendments, 2290 Schedule 1, e-file 2290, e-file online, efile2290, express 2290, Express Excise, Express2290, Form 2290, Form2290, HVUT, irs 2290, IRS form 2290, Tax 2290, Truck Tax

Now that August has finally passed we’d like to take the time to give our genuine thanks to the thousands of trucking companies and Owner-Operators that E-Filed their 2290s, 8849s, amendments and VIN corrections to the IRS with us.

An extra thank you goes out to those of you that emailed, called, or chatted with our customer support team. I hope we exceeded your expectations with our knowledge of HVUT, quick response and friendliest support in this field. Our entire team worked well into the night on August 31st making sure all of our customers were able to get their questions answered and 2290s filed on time.

We love helping our customers in any way that we can. We believe our efforts to go above and beyond are showcased by our numerous free services – such as free VIN corrections, free automatic notification of your Schedule 1 to your contracting company, free text alert, free fax of schedule 1 and free full-service filing – found exclusively at www.express2290.com.

For many of you, we probably won’t hear from you again until next year. That’s OK, we understand! But we encourage you to stop by and check out the new services and features we continually add throughout the year. Let us know what you think or how we can better serve you. We never stop looking for better ways to provide the best service at the best value. We truly appreciate any referrals you may provide to your trucking business friends about our HVUT services.

Thank you again to everyone. Drive safe and we look forward to working with you soon.

James Harris
Director – Tax Products
Express Tax Zone
www.express2290.com

Express2290 now offers proof of payment notifications!

Posted on August 23, 2010 by - 2290 Amendments, 2290 Schedule 1, e-file 2290, efile2290, express 2290, Express Excise, Express2290, file HVUT, Form2290, IRS, irs 2290, Tax 2290, Truck Tax

Express2290.com is all about saving customers time and money. The program is already packed with great features–like free VIN correction, bulk uploads, text message notifications–but they went ahead and added one more.

Usually owner-operators are required to provide proof to their contracting trucking or leasing company that they have filed their 2290 form and paid the HVUT. The problem is, as owner-operators, they’re not always near a fax machine, computer, or post office. That’s where Express2290.com comes in. 

The folks at Express2290.com will send a free proof of payment notification on behalf of the owner operators that file through them. All they have to do is enter in the contact information for the trucking company they drive for and Express2290 will automatically send both the owner-operator and their company a copy of the stamped Schedule 1 form when it comes in.

Everyone wins with this system–the owner-operator doesn’t have to find a fax machine, and the trucking company doesn’t have to follow up with drivers to make sure they submitted their proof of payment. As with the other exclusive features at Express2290.com, the proof of payment notification is completely free. Just another way the folks at Express2290.com make taxes less taxing.

Last Minute Tax Tips

Posted on August 20, 2010 by - 2290, 2290 Amendments, 2290 Schedule 1, e-file 2290, efile2290, express 2290, Express Excise, Express2290, file HVUT, Form 2290, Form2290, HVUT, IRS, irs 2290, Tax 2290, Truck Tax

There are just 10 days left to e-file your HVUT forms at www.Express2290.com. Here are some tips to help you get through the process as quickly as possible,

–Have your information close by. Know your business name, address and EIN. Also make sure to have the correct VINs for all the vehicles you’re reporting.

–Know your vehicles. Got any suspended vehicles? Any vehicles lost or stolen? Make sure you report all your relevant vehicles to the IRS.

–Get instant notification. With www.Express2290.com you can get fax and text message notifications so you know exactly when your Schedule 1 is ready.

–Get some help from the experts. If you’re pressed for time, or just need a bit of assistance www.Express2290.com has incredible customer support. They can walk you through the program, even assist you in filing. Contact them via email, chat or phone.

Just 10 days left. Gather your info and head over to www.Express2290.com now to get started!

Take advantage of some great Express2290.com exclusives!

Posted on August 13, 2010 by - 2290, 2290 Schedule 1, e-file 2290, e-file online, efile2290, express 2290, Express Excise, Express2290, file HVUT, Form 2290, Form2290, HVUT, IRS, irs 2290, IRS form 2290, Tax 2290, Truck Tax

Express2290.com is all about speed and convenience–hence the Express name. Here are a couple of great exclusives you get with Express2290 that will help save you time and money.

-FREE fax and text message notifications. You’ll know when your Schedule 1 is ready just minutes after filing!

-Send a fax of your stamped Schedule 1 from within the application–FREE

-CPA’s/tax professionals can fax paperwork to their clients without leaving the application

-E-file a VIN correction FREE

-Automatic generation of your 8849 form while you’re filing 2290.

On top of all this, they also have US-based phone, email and chat support. Head to Express2290.com now to take advantage of these great features and so much more.

Filing Form 2290? Express2290.com can help!

Posted on August 7, 2010 by - 2290 Amendments, 2290 Schedule 1, e-file 2290, efile2290, express 2290, Express Excise, Express2290, file HVUT, Form 2290, Form2290, irs 2290, Tax 2290, Truck Tax

Any individual buying or using a heavy duty truck must file and pay the Heavy Duty Trucks Road Tax. The filing process involves filling out Form 2290. You can use Express2290.com to fill it out and get it done in just a few minutes.

Make sure to have the Vehicle Identification Numbers of any vehicles you are filing for. If the truck(s) you’re filing for will travel 5,000 miles or less during the tax period (July to June of the next year), a tax refund can be claimed by the filer. That also applies if the heavy highway vehicle was destroyed, stolen or sold during the tax period. Claiming the refund requires a different form. Express2290 will even help tax payers file for their refund using Form 8849.

There are different tax rules for different types of trucks–depending on the weight and what the truck is being used for. The taxable gross weight is 55,000 pounds or higher in most cases. Refer to Form 2290 or Express2290.com for help with your particular truck.

Express2290.com offers bundles that will let you file forms for hundreds of trucks for one price. This is useful if you have trucks that aren’t going on the road till later in the year.