Transportation & Logistics Accounting & Tax Outsourcing
U.S. trucking generates $906 billion in gross freight revenues annually, per the American Trucking Associations – yet 91.5% of carriers operate 10 or fewer trucks and face the same IFTA, HVUT, and multistate compliance as the largest fleets.
Transportation clients are the hardest to staff for. And the costliest to lose.
87% of CFOs report a consistent accounting talent deficit, per CFO Pulse Survey data. Finding accountants who understand IFTA, HVUT, per diem calculations, multistate driver payroll, and DOT financial reporting is nearly impossible – and accounting graduates fell 6.6% year-over-year per AICPA.
Can't Find Transportation Accountants
56% of CPA firms now outsource to fill gaps. Finding U.S. specialists who understand IFTA quarterly filings across 48 states, HVUT Form 2290, fleet depreciation schedules, and owner-operator settlements is extraordinarily difficult – and expensive when you can find them.
IFTA Complexity Overwhelms Teams
IFTA requires quarterly fuel tax reports reconciling distance and fuel across 48 states and 10 Canadian provinces. States like New York, Oregon, Kentucky, and New Mexico impose additional taxes on top of IFTA – each requiring separate filings even for compliant fleets.
Spreadsheet Errors Compound Risk
94% of business spreadsheets contain errors, per Frontiers of Computer Science. For trucking companies using spreadsheets for fuel tracking, mileage reconciliation, and IFTA preparation, those errors compound – triggering audit risk, additional assessments, and late penalties of $50 or 10% of net tax liability.
Turning Away Transportation Clients
With nearly 580,000 active U.S. motor carriers per FMCSA data and trucks generating 76.9% of all freight revenue, the demand is massive. But public accounting turnover runs 15–22% annually – costing a 50-person firm $400–600K/year. Without capacity, you're declining work.
Transportation accounting, executed at scale
Every service below is delivered with transportation-specific SOPs, compliance-aware workflows, and multi-layer QC.
Fleet Bookkeeping
Driver wages represent 34% of marginal costs and fuel another 22%, per ATRI data. Our multi-layer QC ensures every mile and every gallon is tracked, reconciled, and audit-ready.
- Daily transaction recording
- Fuel purchase reconciliation
- Multi-entity fleet GL management
IFTA & Fuel Tax Reporting
IFTA demands quarterly reconciliation of distance and fuel across 48 states and 10 Canadian provinces. Base jurisdictions audit ~3% of licenses annually – our teams ensure you are always audit-ready.
- Quarterly IFTA preparation
- Fleet MPG calculations
- Jurisdiction mileage reconciliation
Tax Preparation
Commercial trucks paid $30.26 billion in federal and state fuel taxes in 2023 alone. We handle the full spectrum of carrier, owner-operator, and fleet entity returns.
- 1120/1120S carrier returns
- 1065 fleet partnerships
- Schedule C owner-operators
Fleet Depreciation & Advisory
Bonus depreciation dropped to 40% in 2025, down from 100% in prior years. Section 179 allows up to $1.25M. Fleet purchase timing is now critical for tax planning.
- Section 179 vs. bonus modeling
- Cost-per-mile analysis
- Equipment ROI schedules
HVUT & Excise Tax Filing
Form 2290 applies to vehicles at 55,000+ lbs gross weight. Beyond HVUT, excise taxes on tires, trailers, and parts add further layers. We also track Section 45W clean vehicle credits – up to $40,000 per qualifying electric truck.
- Annual Form 2290 filing
- Excise tax compliance
- Clean vehicle credit tracking
Driver Payroll & Settlements
With 3.58 million professional drivers and ~350,000 owner-operators per ATA data, driver payroll is uniquely complex. Multistate withholding, per diem deductions, and AB5 classification require precision.
- Multistate driver payroll
- Per diem deduction calculations
- Owner-operator settlements
Trucking and logistics accounting, where it differs
Transportation runs on thin margins and rules built for trucks. These four points decide whether a carrier actually knows if it is making money.
Cost per mile
The number that runs a carrier is cost per mile, fuel, maintenance, insurance, and fixed costs divided across the miles run. Without it, a load that looks profitable on the rate can lose money once the truck rolls. We build the books so cost per mile and revenue per mile are visible.
IFTA fuel tax
The International Fuel Tax Agreement requires quarterly reporting of miles driven and fuel bought by state. It is a filing other industries never see, and sloppy mileage and fuel records turn it into an audit headache. We keep the data clean and the filings on time.
Driver settlements and per diem
Owner-operator settlements, deductions, and advances have to be tracked precisely, and driver per diem carries specific tax treatment. Getting settlements and per diem right keeps drivers paid correctly and the deductions defensible.
Factoring and cash flow
Many carriers factor freight invoices for immediate cash, and the fees and reserves have to be booked correctly so revenue is not overstated. We reconcile factoring activity to the loads behind it. Confirm IFTA and per diem rules for your operation.
We work inside your software
Our teams train on your tech stack during onboarding – no migration needed.
QuickBooks Online
Certified TeamQuickBooks Desktop
Certified Team
Xero
Certified TeamTruckLogics
Trained TeamMotive (KeepTruckin)
Trained TeamSamsara
Trained Team
Sage Intacct
Certified Team+ Any Other
We'll TrainTransportation expertise built into every layer
We don't rotate generic accountants into your transportation engagements. Here's how we train and how we protect.
Compliance Mapping
We map your filing landscape – IFTA quarterly across 48+ jurisdictions, HVUT, IRP, DOT reporting, and state-specific taxes like New York HUT and Oregon Weight-Mile – before onboarding begins.
Sector-Trained Teams
Our accountants receive transportation-specific training covering IFTA logic, fuel tax reconciliation, per diem rules, driver settlement structures, and fleet depreciation under Section 179 and bonus depreciation.
Custom Transportation SOPs
Every engagement gets transportation-tuned workflows for IFTA filing, mileage reconciliation, fuel purchase tracking, and cost-per-mile analysis – per ATRI data, average operating cost per mile hit $2.38, a 36% increase from 2020.
Industry QC Checklists
94% of business spreadsheets contain errors. In transportation, fuel tracking and mileage errors trigger IFTA audit risk and additional tax assessments. Our QC catches them before you see them.
Carrier Data Security
Transportation clients entrust sensitive data – driver SSNs, EIN records, settlement details, and DOT financials. All team members trained on confidential data handling with strict access controls.
SOC 2 + Zero Local Storage
Role-based access, encrypted connections, VPN-secured environments. No client data stored on local devices – ever.
NDA-Backed Confidentiality
Every engagement backed by non-disclosure agreements. Background-verified staff with per-engagement access controls – critical when handling DOT financial records and driver personal data.
Monitoring & Continuity
Continuous audit logging, session monitoring, and built-in backup coverage. The ATA projects a 160,000-driver shortage by 2030 – your accounting support shouldn't face the same staffing gaps.
Four stages of review before it reaches you
A resume tells you who someone is on paper. A carrier IFTA reconciliation tells you whether the work holds. Every deliverable passes four sets of eyes before a partner ever opens it.
1. Preparer
A transportation-trained accountant builds the work on your SOPs: fuel and mileage reconciliation, IFTA jurisdiction splits, driver settlements, cost-per-mile schedules.
2. Senior Review
A senior checks the logic, ties IFTA distance and fuel back to the source records, and confirms the workpapers are structured and traceable.
3. Quality Review
An independent quality pass runs the engagement against transportation QC checklists, HVUT and excise filings, per diem treatment, and depreciation elections.
4. Final Review
A final sign-off confirms the deliverable is complete, on time, and ready for partner judgment. You receive review-ready work, not a first draft.
What you keep. What we carry.
Your name is on the return and the financials. The partner-level calls stay with you. We carry the preparation and the review so your firm clears the volume without giving up control.
What your firm keeps
- The signature on every return, IFTA filing, and financial statement
- Final judgment on positions: per diem treatment, depreciation elections, classification calls
- The client relationship and all partner-level advisory
- Approval of every deliverable before it goes to the client
What we carry
- Preparation of fleet bookkeeping, IFTA and HVUT filings, driver payroll, and carrier returns
- Structured, traceable workpapers that tie back to the source mileage and fuel records
- The four-stage internal review before anything reaches your desk
- Continuity on rolloff: we shadow and hand over during the notice period so the workflow never takes a hit
Designed by someone who has signed the return and sat the review
Accountably was founded and is run by a Washington-licensed CPA with 7+ years inside US firms, from PwC, to a real-estate tax practice, to a full-service firm, rising from reviewer to manager to advisory. The person designing your transportation team has prepared the returns, run the review cycle, and felt April. We are accountants who learned staffing, not staffers who learned accounting.
Proof before your name is on the line. Don't trust us. Test us.
Your transportation team in 3 weeks
A structured onboarding process built for transportation's unique compliance requirements.
Transportation Discovery
We map your fleet workflows, IFTA jurisdictions, software stack, and filing calendar.
Team Selection
Accountants with transportation vertical training, IFTA familiarity, and fleet accounting experience.
SOP & Compliance Setup
Transportation-specific SOPs, fuel tax protocols, and QC checklists documented and trained.
Pilot & Scale
Start with a small batch – see the quality and compliance before scaling capacity.
U.S. transportation hire vs. Accountably
Tax compliance costs $536 billion annually per the Tax Foundation. A 20-truck carrier faces identical IFTA, HVUT, DOT, and multistate filing complexity as a 200-truck carrier – without economies of scale. Here's what the numbers look like:
| Feature | U.S. Transportation Hire | Accountably |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Cost per Staff | $90–120K (loaded) | $28–36K |
| Transportation-Specific Training | 3–6 months ramp-up | Pre-trained, 3 weeks |
| IFTA & HVUT Expertise | Varies by hire | Built into delivery |
| Multi-Layer QC | Partner review only | 4-tier QC before you see it |
| Backup Coverage | None | Always-on backup |
| Seasonal Scaling | Hire/fire cycle | Scale up or down in days |
| Annual Savings (per staff) | – | $55–85K+ |
A 3-person transportation team = $165–255K+ in annual savings. That's capacity freed for advisory, not overhead.
Real results from transportation-focused firms
Freight Bridge CPA Group scales transportation practice by 55%
Serving 40+ trucking and logistics clients across Texas, Georgia, and Ohio, Freight Bridge was drowning in quarterly IFTA filings and turning away fleet clients during peak season. Within 6 months of partnering with Accountably, they expanded capacity while cutting delivery costs significantly.
"IFTA filings used to consume our team for weeks every quarter. Accountably's transportation-trained staff took over the entire reconciliation process. Six months in, zero filing errors across 40+ carrier clients."
What transportation-focused firms say
From owner-operators to multi-fleet carriers – firms trust us with their most complex transportation clients.
"We serve 60+ trucking companies. Accountably's team handles IFTA quarterly filings across all 48 jurisdictions faster and more accurately than our previous in-house staff ever did."
James Kowalski, CPA
Managing Partner, Kowalski & Associates
"Driver payroll across 12 states was our biggest headache. Accountably's team understood multistate withholding and per diem rules from day one. Our partners finally have time for advisory work."
Linda Vasquez
Director of Operations, Summit Fleet Advisors
"We went from turning away fleet clients to actively pursuing them. Accountably gave us the capacity to build a real transportation niche – our CAS revenue in this vertical is up 38%."
Robert Tran, CPA
Partner, Tran & Associates Logistics CPA
Transportation-specific questions
Common questions from firms serving transportation and logistics clients.
Can your teams handle IFTA quarterly reporting across all jurisdictions?
Yes. IFTA requires quarterly fuel tax reports reconciling distance and fuel across 48 contiguous states and 10 Canadian provinces. Our teams handle total mileage tracking, fuel-type breakdowns, fleet MPG calculations, and jurisdiction-level reconciliation. Base jurisdictions audit roughly 3% of IFTA licenses annually – we ensure you are always audit-ready.
Do you handle HVUT (Form 2290) and other excise taxes?
Yes. Form 2290 applies to vehicles at 55,000+ lbs gross weight and must be filed annually. We also handle excise taxes on tires, trailer sales, and truck parts. For fleets exploring electric vehicles, we track eligibility for the Section 45W Commercial Clean Vehicle Credit – up to $40,000 per qualifying electric truck.
How do you handle multistate driver payroll?
Drivers earn income across dozens of states, each with different withholding rules. We handle multistate payroll allocation, per diem deduction calculations, and proper classification under evolving regulations like California AB5. Misclassification penalties include back taxes, unpaid benefits, and fines.
What about fleet depreciation and Section 179 planning?
Bonus depreciation dropped to 40% in 2025, down from 60% in 2024 and 100% in prior years. Section 179 allows up to $1.25M in immediate deductions for qualifying vehicles. Fleet purchase timing is now critical. Our teams model depreciation scenarios so you maximize deductions across the fleet lifecycle.
What if I've had a bad offshore experience before?
Most failed offshore attempts come from generic staff with no transportation training. Understanding IFTA history, fleet structures, and driver settlement processes takes months. Our 30-day pilot guarantee lets you test risk-free – a free replacement if quality, compliance, or communication doesn't meet your standards.
What transportation software do you work with?
We train on whatever software you use – TruckLogics, Motive, Samsara, DAT, McLeod, and TMW on the fleet side. On the accounting side: QuickBooks, Xero, Sage Intacct, UltraTax, CCH Axcess, Lacerte, Drake, and all major tax platforms.
Start with a Free 40-Hour Proof Pilot
Do not commit a live client file on a promise. Hand us a fixed 40-hour block of your own transportation work and grade the result before anything else happens.
Your real work
Pick actual files: a quarter of IFTA reconciliation, a batch of driver settlements, fleet depreciation schedules, or carrier returns. Not a sample. Your work.
Your SOPs, our review
We prepare it on your software and your SOPs, then run it through the full four-stage review before it comes back to you.
You grade it
You see the workpapers, the accuracy, and the turnaround on real carrier files before committing a live client. Proof first, scale after.
Scale your transportation accounting without the risk
Get a tailored assessment for your transportation and logistics workload. We'll show you exactly what we can handle, how we'd fit into your workflow, and what results to expect. Proof before your name is on the line. Don't trust us. Test us.