Trucking Industry News - Page 2
What Is Trucking Authority? A Plain Definition
“Trucking authority” is one of those phrases the industry uses constantly and defines rarely. It gets used to mean a number, a document, a permission and a business model, sometimes in the same conversation. If you are deciding whether to get your own, the first thing worth having is a clear definition, because most of […]
Your 2290 Schedule 1: when you get it and why you cannot register plates without it
Your Schedule 1 is the receipt page of Form 2290, and it is the document your state wants before it will put plates on the truck. When you e-file, the IRS sends it back stamped with a digital watermark on the day the return is accepted; on paper it comes back with an ink stamp […]
Form 2290 for a truck you bought mid-year: how partial-period HVUT works
Buy a truck after July and you do not owe the full year of Heavy Vehicle Use Tax (HVUT), nor do you file by August 31. Your Form 2290 is due by the last day of the month after the month you first put the truck on a public highway, and the tax is prorated […]
Form 2290 e-file vs paper: which one gets your Schedule 1 before August 31
If you need a stamped Schedule 1 before August 31, e-file. The IRS returns the watermarked Schedule 1 on the same day it accepts an e-filed Form 2290, usually within the hour. A paper 2290 comes back stamped in roughly six weeks, well past the deadline if you mail it in August. Paper is still […]
MVR vs PSP vs Clearinghouse: which driver record is which, and when each applies
MVR, PSP, and Clearinghouse are three different driver records: state license, federal roadside and crash history, and drug and alcohol standing. Here is which is which and when each applies.
What a missed MVR or driver-screening step actually costs before your first hire
A skipped MVR or pre-employment screening is not a one-time fine. Here is what it actually costs at the roadside, at claim time, and at audit, and how to close the gap.
IRP vs single-state plates: which one applies to your truck?
IRP applies to interstate trucks above 26,000 lb GVW or 3+ axles. Single-state plates work only for intrastate operation. Here is the exact decision tree.
Common IFTA mistakes new owner-operators make
First IFTA returns trip on the same patterns: estimated mileage, mixed fuel, skipped zero-mile quarters, wrong base state. Here’s what to fix.
FMCSA Biennial Update (MCS-150): When It’s Due and What Happens If You Miss It
MCS-150 is the silent one: free, 10 minutes, every 2 years. Miss it and your USDOT deactivates, MC goes inactive, and interstate operation becomes a violation.
MC Application Mistakes That Delay or Kill Your Authority
Operation-type misclassification, EIN/legal-name mismatches, BOC-3 docket errors. Every common MC application mistake stretches activation from days into weeks.