Top of the Form
The top of the form is for information which identifies the driver, truck number and trip number.
- Notice that the date required at the top of the form is the date on which the trip or the week ended. How you fill this in will depend upon how your company wants it filled out.
- The driver's name and signature line need no explanation.
- As we said in Chapter 15 of this workbook, each company numbers its trucks differently. As a driver, you will be following whatever system your company uses.
- On the FROM line, you simply record either the place where you picked up your load or your home terminal (as company policy dictates). On the TO line, you record your destination.
- Each day, you will be recording information about meals and lodging. If you stayed in a motel, put the charge for the motel in the block marked MOTEL. If you slept in your sleeper cab, put a line (-) or a zero (0) in the block for that date.
- The amounts for BREAKFAST, LUNCH, and DINNER should include reasonable tips. If you prefer to eat from your cooler chest or refrigerator, you may still be able to take these items off on your personal income tax, so keep receipts. Also keep receipts for SNACKS. The IRS may also allow deductions for these since you are on the road.
- The final category under PERSONAL EXPENSES, is MISCELLA-NEOUS PERSONAL EXPENSES. If you think of something that might be reimbursed as you travel, write it down and make a note on the back of the form about what it was. The IRS might let you deduct it as a business expense if it is clearly related to your job. So keep clear, specific records.
- The PARTS block is for parts you purchased for the truck and installed yourself. Costs for parts that were included in a service charge may be listed right along with the service charge in the next block.
- When you have your rig serviced by a garage, or anyone other than yourself or your own company mechanic, record the cost in the block marked SERVICE. (In other words, whenever you are charged for service to your vehicle, record the cost in the SERVICE block.)
- The WASH block is for recording costs of washing your vehicle.
- All truck-related expenses except fuel and oil should be listed in one of the three blocks described above. Fuel and oil costs are listed separately on another form. You might list them on the Trip Cost Report which you used in this workbook, on a separate Fuel Report, or on the Monthly Truck Expense Record which we will teach you how to use later in this chapter.
- If an official suspects you are overloaded and tells you to pull onto a scale to be weighed, you won't be charged for use of the scale. However, there are times when you need to pay to use a scale, and this expense is recorded in the SCALES block. For example, you might be asked to pick up a certified scale weight by the shipper, by the consignee, or even by your own carrier. Or you might pick up an oddball load of produce and need verification of actual weight for one reason or another.
- On the East Coast, you frequently travel over toll roads, so toll fees can be a fairly large expense. Tolls are also common for bridge use. Record all toll expenses under TOLLS.
- Record all permit charges in the PERMIT block. These include expenses for oversized load permits, port-of-entries, and any other special permits required to make your haul.
- Many dispatchers require their drivers to phone their home terminals at least once a day. And usually, the driver will be assigned a certain time each day to call in. There are reasons for this. (1) It helps dispatchers keep track of their drivers. They know immediately whether or not a driver is on schedule. They know of any delays and what caused them. (2) They can relay information to their drivers. For example, if a driver is traveling with a partial load, the dispatcher can ask him or her to pick up another partial along the route. Often, drivers will be told to call collect or will have an 800 (toll-free) number to call. So, frequently, there will be no charge for call-ins. However, other phone calls are often necessary on the road, and many of these carry small charges. For example, a driver may, as a routine, call his or her consignee a few hours prior to arriving at the destination. Phone calls home are not hauling expenses and should not be listed here. They might be allowable under miscellaneous personal expenses, but usually not. Charges listed in the PHONE block should be related to the haul.
- Under CONTRACT WORK, you might list charges for forklift drivers or dock workers or any other wages you have to pay related to the haul.
- There are a number of different expenses which might arise out of making a haul. Any that have not been listed in one of the previous 5 blocks would be recorded under MISC. (Miscellaneous). Rental of a forklift or pallet jack might go here, so might purchase of load binders to replace broken ones, purchase of a cargo jack, etc. In other words, list here any other hauling expense not listed elsewhere on the trip expense report.
