Halloween Deadline Reminders: IFTA, NY HUT & More

NY HUT, KYU, and IFTA, Oh my! We don’t mean to give you a fright…

This is just a friendly reminder from the witches and warlocks of TSNAmerica, giving you a much-deserved treat instead of a trick.

All of these quarterly filings coming due on Halloween is enough to make any trucker howl with fright!

So we thought we’d take the dead out of deadline by quickly recapping what’s due this Friday, Oct. 31st and who needs to file.

IFTA

• Oct. 31st is the due date for 3rd quarter IFTA filings. 
• Commercial carriers are required to register with the International Fuel Tax Agreement if the vehicle travels interstate in the US & Canada AND if the vehicle weighs over 26,000 pounds or has three or more axles. 
• IFTA registrants must keep thorough records (including original receipts) of all fuel purchases, fuel use per jurisdiction, and mileage traveled in each jurisdiction. Keep all original documents for at least three years after filing. 
• To avoid an IFTA audit, be sure to avoid these common errors when preparing your return! Gaps in mileage, skewed MPG–all are red flags for IFTA auditors.
• TSNAmerica can help you prepare your IFTA return! Call us at 803.386.0320. for details. 

*Note: IFTA does not cover road taxes, weight-mile taxes, or any other state-specific requirements. If you are based in or travel through one of the states listed below, you may be required to register and submit quarterly returns for that tax.

NY HUT

• The New York Highway Use Tax applies to vehicles with a gross weight exceeding 18,000 pounds travelling on NY public highways.
• Trucks with an unloaded weight over 8,000 lbs. and unloaded trailers weighing over 4,000 lbs. are also required to file the quarterly NY HUT. 
• The tax is filed quarterly and based on the gross weight of the vehicle AND the number of miles traveled on NY highways. Miles traveled on certain toll-paid portions of the NY State Thruway will not be taxed.
• A trip permit may be used in place of NY HUT registration, but no more than 10 trip permits can be used in a year.

New Mexico Weight-Distance

• Like the NY HUT, the New Mexico weight-distance tax is based on the weight of the vehicle and the number of miles traveled on New Mexico roads. 
• Heavy vehicles exceeding a 26,000 lb. gross weight are required to register and file a quarterly return. The tax rate is graduated, increasing with the weight of the vehicle.
• A new permit must be obtained each year and displayed on the vehicle. 
• Unlike IFTA, this New Mexico tax applies to both interstate and intrastate commercial vehicles. 

KYU

• The Kentucky Highway Use Tax is required for interstate vehicles with a combined licensed weight of 60,000 lbs. and above. Before filing the quarterly tax, you must obtain a KYU license number. 
• Licensed agricultural vehicles and buses are excluded from this tax.
• The tax is based on the number of miles traveled on Kentucky roads.
• Intrastate only vehicles have separate requirements under the Kentucky Intrastate License Tax. This is a fuel tax levied on vehicles exceeding 26,000 lbs or having three or more axles.

In addition to these four deadlines, don’t forget the 4th quarter International Fuel Tax Agreement and Unified Carrier Registration renewal due dates coming up December 31st.

But don’t let taxes or registrations ruin your holiday season! By calling Truck Services of North America, you’re not only ensuring that it’s filed correctly, you’re freeing up more time to spend with friends and family. And you can’t put a price on that.

Give us a call today at 803.386.0320. or email us at support@tsnamerica.com for assistance with your paperwork. And have a very candy-filled Halloween!

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UCR Renewal Period Open for 2015

Has the paperwork been piling up lately? With the season of registration renewals upon us, it’s bound to happen! But while you’re diligently working on IRP renewals and compiling your 3rd quarter IFTA returns, don’t forget to file your annual UCR renewal!

Luckily, Truck Services of North America is equipped to handle all of the above, and then some! We can calculate your fuel tax and prepare your IFTA filing faster than you can say International Fuel Tax Agreement. Simply send us your trip logs, but don’t wait until the last minute! We file on a first come, first served basis. We can quickly file your IRP renewals too. You name it, we can take care of it and take the paperwork out of your way!

But IFTA isn’t the subject of discussion today. We’re here to give you the low-down on UCR procedures–just in time for the renewal deadline!

Under the Hood of UCR

The Unified Carrier Registration Agreement is a federally-mandated, state-administered annual registration for commercial vehicles weighing at least 10,001 pounds. The registration fees, which help fund motor safety programs, are based on the number of vehicles used or leased (for a period longer than 30 days) by the company and typically only apply to vehicles that operate interstate or internationally.

Interstate-only carriers or USDOT registrants under the PRISM program are not required to register with UCR. However, some states, like Georgia for instance, have instituted a UCR program for intrastate carriers. Be sure to check the UCR regulations in your state as these can change year to year.

Currently 41 states participate in UCR, but even if you’re not based in a participating state, you must still register annually by selecting a base state nearby.

Where’s My Base?

Your base state collects the UCR fees on behalf of all participating states. This simplifies the registration process by replacing SSRS, the Single State Registration System. When selecting your base, you should choose the state your business is headquartered in, unless that state does not participate in UCR. If that is the case, choose a participating state that your business has an office or operating facility in. Finally, if neither of those options work, then choose the nearest UCR state to your business headquarters.

Change of Base?

If you need to change your base state, you’re in luck! Base changes can only be made once a year during the renewal period. If your business has moved to another state, or if your state has elected to change its UCR status (changing from participants to non-participants or vice versa), then you will need to change your base state when you renew. You are also required to give advance notice of the change to your current base state.

How Do I Renew?

Now for the tricky part! The UCR renewal period is open from now until December 31st. The renewal form from your base, along with your state’s fee, must be submitted before that date for you to remain compliant.

After filing, you’ll receive written documentation from your state to keep for road checks and proof of compliance. You do not need to display these credentials on your vehicles; in fact, it’s illegal for any state to require it.

UCR Audits

Audits happen. Under the UCRA, states are required to perform audits, both randomly and deliberately in certain circumstances. If you register fewer vehicles this year than last year, and this deduction places you in a lower payment bracket, you will be audited. All states are required to audit businesses that move into lower payment brackets to ensure that the vehicles were actually lost, sold, etc, and that there is no fraudulent activity.

It’s also crucial that you keep all documents related to your UCR registration for at least three years thereafter. You will be required to present this documentation and make it available in your base state if you are selected for audit.



Waiting until the last minute is never a good idea, so if you’re too swamped to sort out your UCR renewal, give us a call. Ring us at 803.386.0320 or email us at support@TSNAmerica.com. You can also submit a Service Request Form or view our services at tsnamerica.com. We’re proudly based in Rock Hill, SC, and offer superior customer support.

Let TSNAmerica handle UCR, IRP, IFTA and any other long acronyms that are sucking up your time! That’s not why you’re in this business, so don’t let them dominate your time. Plus it’s always nice to have one less thing to worry about, especially when your business’s success depends on it!

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Pennsylvania Intrastate vs. Interstate Fuel Tax: Demystifying PA’s MCRT & IFTA

Today, we’re taking a closer look at Fuel Tax regulations in the great Keystone State. While Pennsylvania does participate in the International Fuel Tax agreement, it also has a separate fuel tax known as the MCRT.

Do you know which registration is required for your business?

TSNAmerica knows! Let’s dig in and demystify the confusing jargon and regulations.

The Pennsylvania Motor Carriers Road Tax (MCRT) is an annual fuel tax imposed on PA intrastate carriers not participating in IFTA. The tax also applies to out-of-state carriers travelling through PA who are based in non-IFTA jurisdictions.

If you are a current IFTA license holder, then the PA MCRT does not apply to you.

MCRT levies a tax per gallon times the amount of fuel used on Pennsylvania highways; however, credits are awarded for fuel purchased in PA which tax has already been paid on.

MCRT Registrants- What do you need to do?

• 1. Renew your MCRT account annually by purchasing the credentials. The renewal will be mailed to you each year in September and is due by December 31st.
  
  Our clients at TSNAmerica should have received the renewal form from us in the mail already! If you need a form, or haven’t received yours yet, give us a call!
• 2. Display your MCRT credentials. Each year, you’ll receive 2 decals to be displayed in each taxable vehicle. A card must be placed in both the driver’s and passenger’s cab windows.
• 3. Maintain accurate records. All mileage and fuel purchases should be regularly recorded in Trip Sheets and kept for at least 4 years along with all original receipts.
  
  These reports should detail all of the equipment used, the mileage per vehicle, and the fuel purchases per vehicle. Records must be submitted annually with your MCRT renewal application. Unlike IFTA, quarterly reports are not required for the Pennsylvania MCRT.

Temporary Permits are a legal alternative to Pennsylvania MCRT registration. However, the fee for a 5-day decal is steep. These permits should only be purchased as a last resort or for a one-time occurrence. TSNAmerica can obtain these permits for you fast! If you’re pressed for time, we know how to keep your business trucking without any delays.

Whether you’re strictly PA intrastate or an interstate carrier based in the Keystone State, Truck Services of North America has the know-how to get your business registered quickly and correctly.

We can file your MCRT yearly renewal or prepare your 3rd quarter IFTA filing for you! We handle all of the paperwork & calculations, completing your return based on the trip sheets you provide. And we file it directly with your base jurisdiction!

View our premier service packages, send us a Service Request Form, or call us at 803.386.0320. We’re always happy to answer questions and help a trucker in need!

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3rd Quarter IFTA Deadline: A Cautionary Tale for Late Filers

With 6 A.M. came the mingling of the lights. That brief moment when Night and Day dance together, one inevitably yielding to the other. The creeks and hums of Night slowly giving way to the first stirrings of morning.

And as that first bit of dawn leaked through the curtains of his cab window, Bobby’s alarm suddenly awoke him with an ear-piercing chord.

He stirred from his slumber to silence his phone with a *smack.*

It was just another day on the road for Bobby… or so he thought. But this day’s events would turn out to be far more sinister.

As he rubbed his eyes and glanced at his phone, a small reminder popped up: “IFTA Due Today.” His heart beginning to thump wildly, he glanced at his calendar to see the cold, hard truth of it.

It was October 31st, 2014, the Day of the Deadline.

Bobby often thought about the approaching third quarter IFTA deadline, but his thoughts were quickly diverted by more pressing matters. 

Upcoming maintenance on his truck. Delivering his cargo on time. Desperately seeking a few solid hours of rest. 

Bobby, like so many others, assumed he’d get around to IFTA later. And later never came.

Accepting the harsh reality, Bobby sprung from his bed, one hand buttoning his shirt, the other rummaging around for a shoe box filled with fuel receipts.

He retrieved the box, and slowly pried off the lid to reveal its horrifying contents.

Dozens of receipts, old and new, twisted and writhing upon one another like a fistful of worms. Many illegible. Many more missing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bobby knew he needed original receipts for all fuel purchases. “Now is not the time to panic,” Bobby repeated to himself. But it was futile. Panic already had Bobby is his steely grip, and the grip was getting tighter each second.

Beginning to lose hope, Bobby grabbed his incomplete trip sheets, powered up his laptop, and began typing them up, line by line.

Minutes became hours. And each hour felt the length of an eternity.

Squinting at the screen with his heavy eyelids, Bobby’s bloodshot eyes suddenly grew wide as he noticed the time. The deadline had passed, and Bobby’s IFTA filing was late. Again.

This wasn’t the first time Bobby missed the deadline. He was all too familiar with late filing penalties. So he carried on, knowing that the sooner he filed, the better.

Racing to finish, he filled in the gaps on his trip sheets the best he could. He “guest-imated” his fuel use based on a standard MPG. But in his haste, Bobby made these dire mistakes–and many more. Mistakes that would cost Bobby dearly.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Months had passed, and Bobby had almost forgotten that fateful night. Until one brisk evening, he sat alone and exhausted in the quiet of his cab.

The phone rang.

Bobby, startled, peered over to his phone to see who was calling. It was an unfamiliar number he’d never seen before.

He reached over and slowly raised the phone to his ear. “Hello?” Bobby croaked.

Nothing.

“Hello?” he said more loudly. Still nothing. Sleep deprived, he wondered if he’d imagined the phone ringing. Just as he went to hang up, he heard someone on the other end. Breathing.

“Hello!” he said a third time, crazed with anticipation! The menacing breath quickened.

Finally, a somber voice spoke. “Mr. Hawkins, good evening. I’m calling to notify you...you’ve been selected for an IFTA audit.”

The phone slipped from Bobby’s hand. Stricken with shock, he sat staring blankly at the floor. He knew he’d gone too far. He knew his day of reckoning had come. And he wondered how he could’ve done things differently.

“If only I’d been more prepared,” he lamented. If only he’d known about TSNAmerica.

So I ask you, readers, will you be ready for the 3rd quarter IFTA deadline this October 31st?

You too can avoid the horrors of last-minute IFTA filing by heeding this cautionary tale.

Don’t wait until the last minute. Call Truck Services of North America and start preparing today. We’re available via phone at 803.386.0320, on live chat, or via email assistance at support@TSNAmerica.com.

Just send us your completed Trip Sheets, detailing your exact mileage and fuel use per jurisdiction, and we will use them to prepare and file your IFTA return for you, directly with your state. No calculations. No waiting in line. No worries.

And remember, even if you didn’t travel at all this quarter, you are still required to file if you hold a valid IFTA license.

Don’t waste your Halloween frantically filing your IFTA return. Leave it to us, and go out Trick-or-Treating instead. You deserve to have a little fun!

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