Trucking Companies
Your truck costs money every mile it moves. We break down fuel, maintenance, and fixed costs so you know which loads actually make money.
The Industry
Trucking looks profitable on paper. Big deposits hit the bank account. Revenue numbers look healthy. But fuel burned today, the insurance premium due next week, and the tires that need replacing next month all eat into that revenue before you see a real return. A ten cent swing in diesel prices or one blown steer tire can wipe out a month’s margin.
The timing makes it worse. You haul the load Monday, fill the tank Monday, pay your driver Friday, but the broker doesn’t pay for 30 to 45 days. Unless you factor invoices and give up a percentage to get cash faster. Managing that gap while keeping the wheels turning requires knowing exactly where every dollar goes. Most owner-operators don’t have that visibility.
Who This Covers
Who This Covers
Owner-operators running one or two trucks. Small fleet owners managing multiple units. Hotshot drivers hauling expedited freight. Any trucking operation in Northern New Mexico where profitability comes down to cents per mile and timing.
What Makes It Complex
What Makes It Complex
Fuel costs that vary by state and week. Maintenance expenses that hit irregularly but hard. IFTA reporting that requires matching fuel purchases to miles driven in each state. Driver settlements if you have owner-operators leased on. Cash flow that never quite matches when you need it. And in New Mexico, Gross Receipts Tax on top of everything else.
What We Handle
The number that matters in trucking is Cost Per Mile. We break down your expenses by truck. Fuel, maintenance, insurance, payments, permits. All tracked against actual miles run. This gives you a floor rate. If it costs you $2.15 to move the truck, you know not to take a load paying $2.00 just to stay busy. That load loses money even if the deposit feels good when it lands.
Stephen has worked with transportation companies for years. He approaches your books with an auditor’s eye, looking for where money leaks out and where processes break down. Factoring statements that don’t reconcile. Fuel card charges that don’t match receipts. Small errors that add up over thousands of miles. The goal is books that reflect reality, not just recorded transactions.
Cost Per Mile and Cash Flow
Cost Per Mile and Cash Flow
Every expense tracked by truck and category. Fuel, maintenance, insurance, payments, and permits allocated properly. Monthly reports showing your true operating cost per mile. Cash flow forecasting that accounts for broker payment delays so you know what’s actually available versus what’s still coming.
IFTA and GRT Compliance
IFTA and GRT Compliance
Fuel tax reporting requires matching purchases to state mileage. We organize the data so quarterly IFTA filings are accurate without the scramble for receipts. New Mexico Gross Receipts Tax returns filed on time. Compliance handled so you focus on freight instead of paperwork.
Common Problems
The bank balance lies. Having $18,000 in the account feels safe until you remember the $12,000 fuel bill, the insurance premium, and the trailer payment all hit next week. Without cash flow tracking that accounts for payment timing, you’re flying blind. The money in the bank today belongs to expenses you haven’t paid yet.
Owners who factor invoices often treat the fees as invisible. The deposit lands and gets recorded. But those fees add up. When you see the annual total of what factoring actually costs, it often motivates building cash reserves to self-finance. You can’t make that decision without seeing the real number.
No Visibility Into True Costs
No Visibility Into True Costs
You know revenue per load. You have a rough sense of fuel costs. But what about the insurance allocated per mile? The tire wear? The oil changes and repairs averaged out? Without that breakdown, you accept loads that feel profitable but actually lose money once all costs hit.
Missed Deductions and Poor Records
Missed Deductions and Poor Records
Per diem for days on the road is a significant tax deduction most drivers leave on the table because nobody tracked it. Equipment depreciation gets handled wrong. Maintenance expenses lumped together instead of categorized. Come tax time, you pay more than you should because the records weren’t kept properly.
What Changes
You stop hauling freight that loses money. When you know your true Cost Per Mile, you have the confidence to turn down loads that don’t pencil out. No more accepting bad rates just to keep moving. You bid based on profit, not volume or the fear of an empty trailer.
The compliance burden lifts. IFTA gets filed without a quarterly scramble. GRT returns handled on schedule. Driver settlements calculated correctly if you have owner-operators. You get hours back every month that you used to spend on paperwork or worrying about whether the numbers were right.
Data-Driven Decisions
Data-Driven Decisions
Historical cost data shows which lanes and load types actually make money. You might discover that the regular run to Albuquerque pays well while the longer hauls eat margin on fuel. Dispatch decisions based on net profit instead of just keeping the truck busy.
Growth With Eyes Open
Growth With Eyes Open
Adding another truck becomes a calculated decision. You know exactly what revenue that unit needs to cover its note, insurance, maintenance reserve, and driver cost. Expansion based on real numbers instead of optimism. Sustainable growth instead of stretched cash flow.
Santa Fe's Small Business Bookkeeper
The Next Step:
A Quick Conversation
Tell us about your business and what you're dealing with. We'll listen, ask a few questions, and give you a straightforward quote.
