Category: Owner Operators

Consider The Facts of Becoming an Owner Operator

Do you want to become an owner operator? You love trucking, and the call of the road runs through your blood, but are you ready to take the next step to further your trucking career? Becoming an owner operator is a serious choice that can’t be made overnight, but considering these following facts may help you weigh in to make your final decision.

You Have to Talk to the Suits

It isn’t as simple as gassing up the rig and hitting 70 on the highway when becoming an owner operator, you need a plan. You also need to get around all of the red tape with the proper licenses and meet the standard regulations.

Most likely you’ll have to put on a nice shirt and go visit the offices of financial planners, accountants, and professionals who know the business and can help you make a serious plan for your trucking business. Trust us, even if you want to be independent and hate the idea of sitting in a boring waiting room, you’ll be a lot better off with a plan and guidelines to follow.

There are way More Costs Than you Think

As an owner operator, you will have to be financially smart and set budgets for your personal paychecks and meals. Can you handle sticking to a certain budget for every meal or will you buy a filet mignon at the beginning of the trip and be down to a loaf of bread a jar of peanut butter by the end of it?

How much debt do you have? Are you close to unburying yourself? Can you add more to your credit cards to spruce up your rig and make necessary repairs? On and off the road, emergencies happen, do you have funds squirreled away to handle them, even if you can’t work for a month or more? Will anyone give you a loan? Hopefully, your credit is in good shape.

Are you prepared for the future? You’ll need a lot of insurance, including disability and life. If you become disabled and can’t work you’ll need the regular checks to keep coming in to help you out. Also, if you don’t make it in the event of an accident don’t you want money going to your wife and family to get your affairs in order?

It Takes More Time

Are you ready to put in the time it takes to be an owner operator? Can you handle driving longer hours with further routes? Will you mind driving all weekend? You have to be ready to put in a little overtime, or while getting started and establishing yourself, a lot of overtime.

Do you like to park on the weekends at stops to talk to your fellow road warriors and catch up on some tv or shoot the breeze to talk about what the bears with ears are catching on the CB or how the turtle races have been grinding your gears? Unfortunately, owner operators have less time to fraternize.

Is your home life demanding? Do you have a wife and kids to get back to? Do you have to be back every other weekend for custody of your kids?

You and Your Truck Might not be Healthy Enough

How old are you and how do you feel? Can you stay up for longer hours to drive farther? Do you have the time to put in overtime hours or are you just too exhausted? You never want to push yourself past the dangerous limit!

Do you have a growing health condition that will require more time for rest in doctor visits in the future? Will you need time off for treatment? If so then it might be the best time to make the jump to owner operator.

How old is your truck? Can it make the distance? How many miles have you and your loved one gone together? Do you own your own trailer and is it in good condition to haul various loads of frozen foods or materials? What if you needs to haul liquids or livestock? Do you have the necessary trailers or will they be another expense?

You may Miss Company Comforts

Leasing yourself to a company or being totally independent is always something to consider. While the freedom of not having to say yes sir to a supervisor and not having to follow dumb little rules may seem irresistible, you might miss the perks.

Working with a company comes with company trailers, paid time off, reimbursements for permits, miles, gas, and more. Plus, you can get on a company insurance plan. It’s a little less work, with a little more financial padding, even if you have people to answer too.

Do you Have What it Takes?

This article isn’t meant to put you down or discourage you from taking the steps to become an owner operator, it’s to make sure you’re prepared. Consider all the costs and the effort it will take. In the end, if the timing is right, your finances are in order, and your health is in good condition then there’s nothing like being an independent owner operator, making your own schedule, without any managers breathing down your neck. It’s pure trucking freedom.

Learn more about becoming an owner operation at ExpressTruckTax.com and be sure to share your tips and tricks in the comment section below. 

An Owner Operator’s Guide to 2290s

An Owner Operator's Guide to 2290s
An Owner Operator’s Guide to 2290s

We know that truck drivers have plenty of headaches to deal with. Whether it’s crazed four-wheeler driving through inclement weather or just the hassle of making ends meet, there’s always something adding stress to your world.

We know that some of these might seem unavoidable, but we’ve built our company around making your life easier. Over the last few years, we’ve dedicated ourselves to simplifying heavy vehicle use taxes, and providing an affordable and intuitive way for truckers like you to e-file their 2290s.

We’ve taken that one step further! Let’s talk about how all you Owner Operators can e-file your Form 2290s with the ExpressTruckTax mobile app.

All About the ExpressTruckTax App

Available for iPhone, iPad, and Android devices, the ExpressTruckTax App is the easiest way you can take care of your heavy vehicle use tax without accessing a computer.

Best of all? It’s free to download and create an account! You can’t beat that.

Let’s look at some of the cool things you can do with the ExpressTruckTax App:

First, e-filing Form 2290 is easy and can be done in just a few short steps.

You can also correct and resubmit rejected returns, free of charge.

Plus, you’ll save time by getting your Stamped Schedule 1 in your email!

Customer Support From People Like You

The best thing about ExpressTruckTax, it doesn’t matter if you’re using our app or the website, you can always contact us if you have any questions! Our dedicated support team is located in downtown Rock Hill, South Carolina, meaning you’ll always be able to talk to someone just like you.

After all, you have enough frustrations as an Owner Operator. The last thing you want is your call for help ending up in another country, with someone who has no knowledge of your issue!

You can reach us Monday through Friday, 9am to 6pm, ready to help you if the need arises.

If you’ve e-filed with ExpressTruckTax, you know the service and customer support we offer. If you haven’t, click the link below to start e-filing your 2290s with the ExpressTruckTax app!

New Trucker Mistakes

New Trucker Mistakes
New Trucker Mistakes

It’s no doubt that an influx of truckers enter the industry every year – it’s undeniable, the turnover rate in this industry can be overwhelming. Unfortunately, sometimes the system that feeds negativity into itself – new drivers hear disheartening information and carry this on their shoulders. After a while, the attitude can sour a driver.

Learning The Wrong Stuff From the Veterans

If you’re new, you need to learn the ropes from those that know them. Sure, school teaches you the rules, but putting these techniques into practice teaches you how they work in the practical sense. Someone who has backed their trailer in a thousand times can offer advice you may have missed.

As far as rookie drivers go, you should apply your learnings to the logic of seasoned drivers, picking up the safe and time-saving tricks and tips they offer. However, be sure to shrug off any unsafe shortcuts.

According to what one trucker told Business Insider, you’re getting ripped off if you’re less than 33 cents a mile.

If new drivers need to learn anything, it’s the livable rates they should earn for driving. Nobody wants to be ripped off, but the risk is high for truckers.

Just remember, if something is too good to sound true, it is!

Rushing Into It Without a Plan

It’s tempting to push through your training, ready for the actual job. But think about it – you don’t want to land a gig and find out that you are clueless! Sure, you will feel a little lost when you start a new job regardless, but you don’t want to leave your training without a clue!

Sure, you’re ready to drive – but make sure you’re not desperate. Desperation can lead new truckers to do reckless things, and that’s the last thing we need.

According to some seasoned drivers, new drivers are so green that they don’t understand that leasing trucks come with a significant cost of maintenance and overhead. When young drivers end up in this situation, they can have very little to show for it.

If you’re spending $900 a week on your truck, and find yourself barely able to afford ramen noodles, you need to rethink what you’re doing here!

Perpetuating the attitude, when you get started at your new company, you were introduced to a grizzled, older trucker who seems unphased by your presence. He probably doesn’t care about you – that you knew from the moment he grumbled something under his breath and walked off.

Don’t be that guy. I mean, everybody has bad days – that’s unavoidable. But you don’t want to be the one who perpetuates the poor attitude trope. You don’t have to be pure sunshine, but communicating in a likable fashion allows you to build relationships as you progress in your field.

Ask questions, be honest with your coworkers, and win them over with competence and openness. What you bring with your positivity will help you as an earner, and provide an example for other truckers.

With the right attitude, you’ll even avoid driver burnout.

Getting Burned Out

Some people get into trucking as a temporary way to earn some cash until they figure out their next venture. That’s fine! But If you want to last in this industry, you need to take care of yourself and keep a nice environment.

Taking care of yourself means a few different things. First, whether you’re an owner-operator or a company driver, if you drive local or OTR, you should go out of your way to work (and possibly live) in a nice, clean truck.

Other burnout prevention methods just happen to cross paths with health and hygiene tips, surprisingly. If you want to keep a sound mental state, find ways you can relax in your downtime.

Don’t get too relaxed, though! You should also find ways to improve your food and fitness routines!

One of the worst mistakes you can make is not e-filing your Form 2290 when the deadline rolls around – or when you purchase a new truck.

With ExpressTruckTax, e-filing HVUT is not only easy, it’s fast, safe, and supported by a great U.S.-based customer satisfaction team. E-file with us and we’ll answer any and all questions you may have.

So for all of our new truckers, let this be your year to be the best trucker ever!

Related Blog: 3 Reasons You’re Not Cut out to Be a Trucker


New EIN for Your New LLC

A few weeks ago the East Coast was blanketed in a thick layer of snow. In the middle of this snowmageddon, the IRS got behind on their e-filing. When you combine bad weather, hardware failure, and the subsequent maintenance, it’s no wonder the IRS clogged up on issuing Employer Identification Numbers!

Now we know this is just frustrating, but who ever thought the government could be behind on something? Not me, no way. Hmm, never heard of that! We know this is an inconvenience – I mean, maybe you had trouble getting your EIN and then had trouble e-filing your 2290s. Or maybe you went out of your way to turn your trucking business into a LLC, only to find out about the EIN delay.

New Business, New EIN

While nobody wants to face a lawsuit, the best thing you can do for your growing transportation business is prepare a plan for facing legal issues. Well, one potential path for owner-operators to take is becoming a Limited Liability Company (LLC). By becoming a LLC, your trucking business has the option to become a separate entity with its own Tax Identification Number and bank account, and it can’t be named in a personal lawsuit against you.

After you transition to a LLC, you may end up with a new EIN! After obtaining a new EIN, you’ll have to file a new 2290 with your new number, and use your old number to claim a HVUT credit.

Why Should You Become an LLC?

Do you have one truck? Two trucks? A red truck and a blue truck? Ah, you get what I mean. You can file to become an LLC regardless of how many trucks you have. Should you separate your business from your self, though? That’s honestly up to you, and you need to weigh the pros and cons. First up, you’ll protect your personal assets in case of a lawsuit. What’s the trade-off? How you file your taxes will change, and how you account for finances will have to change, too! Keep that in mind as you head down this road.

How Do You Know If You Need a New EIN?

Well, not every new LLC needs a new EIN. But a lot do! If you’re wondering how you know you’ll need a new number, the IRS says you will need a new EIN if any of the following statements are true:

  • You are a new LLC with more than one owner (Multi-member LLC) formed under state law.
  • You are a new LLC with one owner (Single Member LLC) formed under state law and choose to be taxed as a corporation or an S corporation.
  • You are a new LLC with one owner (Single Member LLC) formed under state law, and have an excise tax filing requirement for tax periods beginning on or after January 1, 2008, or an employment tax filing requirement for wages paid on or after January 1, 2009.

Like we said before, we can’t tell you to become an LLC. But many owner-operators take this path for the added business protections and benefits. After all, you want to protect your livelihood! Have you turned your trucking business into an LLC? Let us know on Facebook and Twitter!

After you’ve received the EIN for your new LLC, be sure to file your 2290s with ExpressTruckTax! If you have any questions, give us a call at 704.234.6005, reach us on live chat, or shoot us an email!

Bulk Uploading: HVUT for Fleets

Just a quick update for our fleet managers out there! When you need to file HVUT for a fleet of vehicles, take advantage of our easy-to-use bulk upload feature.

Start by filling out First Used Month & Year, and then select Bulk Upload Using a File when you’re on the Taxable Vehicles tab.

The nice thing is, we provide an Excel template you can use to upload your data to our sites. Select Express Upload to continue.

Just follow these three steps! Download the template by following the “clicking here” link, fill out the saved file, and then upload the completed spreadsheet!

The excel template is easy to navigate, and has clear labels and drop down menus with itemized selections for your filing convenience.

If you make a filing error, our system will let you know! Click “View Upload Errors” to examine the errors. Once your errors are identified, simply fix the flawed entries in your downloaded spreadsheet and then re-upload the file by clicking “Bulk Upload using a File” again.

After that, you can view, file, and pay your HVUT taxes all at once! You have to admit, that’s way easier than doing each vehicle one-by-one.

While we think bulk uploading is easier, you may still run into a question we can answer for you. We’ll always be ready to help you by phone or email. Give us a call at 704.234.6005 if you need assistance!

Perks for Owner-Operators

ExpressTruckTax PartnersRunning a trucking business isn’t easy, especially during tax time, but here at ExpressTruckTax, we’ve got you covered!

We work very closely with some amazing owner-operator based associations as well as one-on-one with several fantastic trucking companies. Navigating a trucking business around HVUT season might seem like a nightmare, but with the perks we offer to owner-operators, we can turn that nightmare into a dream come true.

We’ve partnered with Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA), America’s Independent Trucker’s Association (AITA), National Minority Trucking Association (NMTA), and South Carolina Trucking Association (SCTA) and even more amazing associations in order to make e-filing for truck taxes so much easier.

And we’re succeeding in helping tons of truckers and owner-operators file their Heavy Vehicle Use Taxes, and get their Stamped Schedule 1 in minutes!

Here are just a few of the ways we help our Owner-Operators succeed during the HVUT season. If you’re a member of one of these associations, what are you waiting for? It’s time to start reaping the benefits.

  • Customized E-filing Portals
    • Our owner-operators enjoy a customized ExpressTruckTax portal on their company websites where they can e-file with ease.
  • Never Lose Another Day of Work for HVUT
    • When you e-file with ExpressTruckTax, or your personalized tax portal, you can do it directly from your smartphone, tablet, or laptop. You don’t have to wait in line at the IRS office, or worry about making an appointment just to file. 
  • Educational Materials about Taxes
    • Figuring out how to file HVUT can be tough. That’s why ExpressTruckTax provides our partners with some much needed materials to educate their owner-operators and members on how to correctly file their taxes and stay current with IRS regulations.
  • 24/7 Free Support
    • We’re there for our you for 24/7, no matter what! We can address problems anytime of day (or night) and get them handled quickly and professionally.
  • Free Automatic E-mail with Stamped Schedule 1
    • As soon as you e-file, you’ll get your Stamped Schedule 1 e-mailed to you automatically! You can also select other options to receive your Stamped Schedule 1 by fax, postal mail, or you can download it directly from your truck tax dashboard.

And these are things nobody else is doing. But with us, our customers will always come first and get the best service and product available. It’s just that simple!

If you need any help e-filing your HVUT or using your personalized portal, don’t hesitate to ask our dedicated support legends. All you have to do is call them at 704.234.6005 or send them an email at support@expresstrucktax.com for 24/hour support in English and Spanish.

Happy Thanksgiving! From Express Truck Tax

With Highway Use Taxes due on November 30th of this year, this has been a very busy Thanksgiving season for the folks at Express Truck Tax. We are very thankful for all of the Truckers, Owner Operators, Trucking Companies, and Service Providers that have chosen to file their Heavy Highway Vehicle Use Tax through ExpressTruckTax.com. Our US-Based Customer Support Center in Rock Hill, SC has been flooded with calls this month and we are grateful for it!
The tax year may be a bit different this year due to the November 30 deadline, but the legislation is the same as it has been in previous years. The tax due will be the same, and the weight classifications are also the same. The only thing that is different is that the filing process can be much easier and more convenient with ExpressTruckTax.
Filing this form online only takes a few minutes and you will receive a stamped schedule 1 within minutes of filing this form online. Although the Thanksgiving Holiday is coming up, you will still be able to E-File your Form 2290 through our service anytime. If you have any questions, please contact us at 704-234-6005 or email us at support@ExpressTruckTax.com