Tag: ATBS: Page 10

Business

Play Your Cards Right

If used wisely, credit and debit cards are great tools. Know the benefits and pitfalls of both to help your business run more smoothly.

January 4, 2011

Business

Buy Right

Slash your costs by knowing when and where to purchase fuel. And make sure you’re getting the most value from a fuel card and a fuel surcharge.

January 3, 2011

Partners in Business

PIB TIP: YOUR IFTA ACCOUNT. You must get your own

PIB TIP: YOUR IFTA ACCOUNT. You must get your own International Fuel Tax Agreement account to do your own fuel tax reporting, whether you do it yourself or through a third party. You do not have to have your own operating authority to get an IFTA account, but independent owner-operators must have such an account […]

December 29, 2010

Partners in Business

PIB TIP: PASS UP COSTLY FUEL STOPS. Owner-operator

PIB TIP: PASS UP COSTLY FUEL STOPS. Owner-operators are well advised to pass up network fuel stops that are too costly, too far off route, sell inferior fuel, are dangerous or poorly maintained, or are perceived as a profit center for the carrier at owner-operators’ expense. If you have concerns about a stop on the […]

December 17, 2010

Partners in Business

PIB TIP: GET WITH THE PROGRAM. Owner-operators can

PIB TIP: GET WITH THE PROGRAM. Owner-operators can save an average of 6 cents per gallon when they are able to participate in major carriers’ discount fuel networks. If your fleet has a fuel-optimizer program, use it. An optimizer program helps an owner-operator plan a trip, based on fuel prices and locations in the carrier’s […]

December 14, 2010

Partners in Business

PIB TIP: ASSESSING FUEL TAX. Each state gets its s

PIB TIP: ASSESSING FUEL TAX. Each state gets its share of taxes based on the number of miles truck drivers run in a state, according to the International Fuel Tax Agreement. If you run 100 miles in Missouri and your truck gets 5.9 mpg, for example, you pay tax on 16.9 gallons of fuel used […]

December 1, 2010

Partners in Business

PIB TIP: FINDING THE CHEAPEST FUEL. The real cost

PIB TIP: FINDING THE CHEAPEST FUEL. The real cost of fuel is the pump price minus the taxes. There are ways to save money on both the fuel you buy and the fuel taxes you pay. Learn what your carrier’s fuel tax policy is, and find out which states have the best diesel prices. Daily fuel prices […]

November 22, 2010

Partners in Business

PIB TIP: CUT OUT-OF-ROUTE MILES. If you’re like ma

PIB TIP: CUT OUT-OF-ROUTE MILES. If you’re like many owner-operators, with 6 percent to 10 percent of your miles out of route lost to detours, side trips and just human error, you could possible cut them 3 percent. Doing so would save 3 percent on fuel, as well as on other variable costs such as […]

November 17, 2010

Overdrive Extra

The twist in year-end tax planning

If Congress doesn’t extend the tax cuts, in effect raising taxes for 2011, it will make more sense to defer expenses into 2011 and accelerate income into 2010.

November 9, 2010

Partners in Business

PIB TIP: SLOW YOUR DECELERATION. Fuel is converted

PIB TIP: SLOW YOUR DECELERATION. Fuel is converted to wasted energy with hard and frequent braking, in which case much of the fuel you need to get up to speed again is lost. Safety experts recommend watching ahead a distance of 12 seconds to prevent having to react at the last second. You are less […]

November 9, 2010

Partners in Business

PIB TIP: SLOW YOUR ACCELERATION. This will consume

PIB TIP: SLOW YOUR ACCELERATION. This will consume less fuel and be easier on the mechanics of your equipment. Accelerating slowly on hills or in the mountains is especially important because doing so helps reduce effects of gravity. Rapid acceleration creates premature wear on the engine, driveline and tires, and increases fuel costs. The Partners […]

November 2, 2010

Business

Pulse

The timing of any major year-end expenditure should be viewed in light of taxes.

November 1, 2010