EOBR - Calendar

[TeamCaffee]

I have started using Windows Calender to keep track of our home time. I am having a heck of a time remembering to do this as we have taken the log sheets for granted for many years.

At the end of the year I will print out the months and file that away with my taxes.

 

[ATeam]

I think I know the reason why you are doing this, but lest I presume too much, let me ask. Why are you doing this?

 

[TeamCaffee]

I am doing this so I know how many days we spend on the road this year. When we leave the house and when we get back home.

 

[MYGIA]

Having copies of logs serves the same purpose. The solution shouldn’t be more work and the use of another software program by the contractor. The solution is for the carrier to have the systems in place to provide to the contractor copies of the electronically filed logs, and to be able to do so on demand at whatever interval the contractor desires and requests them – daily, weekly, monthly, whatever. For example, e-mail and/or fax.

 

[ATeam]

I am doing this so I know how many days we spend on the road this year. When we leave the house and when we get back home.

I have comments to share about what I think is the related issue but don't want to until I know for sure you and I are talking about the same thing.

So, if I may ask, why is it that you want or need to know how many days you spend on the road this year and when you leave the house and when you get back home?

 

[teamjdw]

Would it be too track day's on the road for perdiem?

 

[pelicn]

We use Drivers Daily Log to keep track of our days out. I use the QC logs, and put in the exact times into drivers daily and then I can print our our exact time out for home time.

 

[greg334]

Pelicn,
This is a FedEx thing, they seem to be lost with the new EOBR thing. Like the driving the truck on line five thing, some don't understand why the policy limits them from using it for more than a quick run to the store.

I think Linda/Bob's solution is far the best one I have heard of yet and until FedEx gets it straight and provides the contractor with the right info on demand, the contractors need to do more now.

 

[pelicn]

I understand Greg, while not with FedEx, we, as Panther drivers, have the option of 30 minutes "off duty driving" as long as we are not on a Pro. Granted, if we were not on electronic logs, we wouldn't have that arbitrary "30 min". I don't know where that comes from, but never the less, it is what the company has deemed the "rule".
Anyway, I was just pointing out how we as the "Avery team" keeps track of our "days out" for tax purposes.
As a team, we don't sweat the trip to Walmart if it takes up 15 minutes of drive time. If we were solo drivers, I can see where it might make a difference.

 

[greg334]

The time limits come from the company, which in the case of Panther, it may be something they agreed on with their insurance company. FedEx on the other hand may do that because what some contractors in other divisions have caused them and they use blanket policies.

As a solo driver, I don't have the issues that some team drivers have. I don't worry about these things seeing I try hard to work around issues like this through planning, I don't have that line five option at all - company doesn't have it. So it is drive time, off duty time and so on.

 

[nightcreacher]

I use an envelope that I put together years ago.It shows everything from when I leave home to every dime I spend and for what on the road.And,being an envelope,gives me a place to put every receipt involved with each load.i should copy write these envelopes and sell them,but I usually just give them away when anyone wants to see one.
When I first put it together,I had a couple of teams driving for me,so on the front of the envelope is just what that team was responsible for.On the back was all the expense that would be mine
The back also shows all pays,and advances
When I get home,I give the envelopes to my sister,and her job is to computerize my envelopes.
Why don't I do this while on the road,simple,my computer is for enjoyment,and except for the weather channel,gps,and Tri-States site,the rest is for fun and games

 

[greg334]

Steve,
You of course have an EOBR - right?

 

[highway star]

I use a day planner/calender to keep track of per diem days. I use envelopes twice a month to keep a total of expenditures, days out and miles on the truck.

I'm a recent convert to DDL on the 'puter for my logs and I really like it.

 

[ATeam]

Since TeamCaffee did not answer my question, I will make a presumption -- the same one made by others -- and ask her to correct me if I am wrong.

She wants to keep track of the days spent at home because one needs to know that information to claim the important per diem income tax deduction that is available for truckers to claim.

And, as a user of the new Qualcomm, electronic logging system her carrier has mandated, she is no longer using paper log books which used to provide home-time information. How can we know for sure that any of the above-mentioned documentation methods will survive an IRS audit?

And, as that carrier-mandated system now functions, it does not provide a way to download or otherwise obtain historical home-time information to drivers and contractors in a way that is reliable and convenient.

And, while the carrier has acknowledged this system shortcoming, it has yet to resolve the issue.

And, as one who enjoys providing helpful tips for others, she shared her Windows Calendar idea above.

Those are my presumptions. Again, I ask TeamCaffee to correct me if I am wrong. Diane and I have not yet made the transition from paper to electronic logging so I am especially interested to hear if my comments about the present state of the new system are wrong.

The comments I wish to share have to do with IRS approved methods of documenting home time and time on the road for the purposes of claiming the per diem deduction.

A number of techniques have been suggested above, including: Windows Calendar, Drivers Daily Log, an envelope on which expenses are recorded and in which receipts are placed, records expenses, and a day planner/envelope combination.

My question has to do with IRS approval. I know for a fact that paper log books can be used to document our days on the road for per diem purposes (not days at home, we don't deduct per diem for days at home). I don't know that any of the other means mentioned above can. Nor do I know that the other means cannot be used either.

I'm wondering, on what IRS instructions can we rely as we search for an IRS approved way to document the information we need to support the per diem deduction? How can we know for sure (or with reasonable certainty) that one's method of choice will survive and IRS audit?

 

[ATeam]

Having copies of logs serves the same purpose. The solution shouldn’t be more work and the use of another software program by the contractor. The solution is for the carrier to have the systems in place to provide to the contractor copies of the electronically filed logs, and to be able to do so on demand at whatever interval the contractor desires and requests them – daily, weekly, monthly, whatever. For example, e-mail and/or fax.

I agree 100%!

 

[greg334]

OMG Phil,
You have been in a frick'n panic, going on and on about this EOBR thing for a while and it seems to be getting a bit too funny.

Get a Grip with all of this.

You are complicating something that is SOOOOOO SIMPLE.

THE IRS doesn't care what proof you have, as long as they can see it in writing.
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Logs are one method used in an audit and as my Accountant/EA has said only the anal worry about one record being the only one that they will accept.

If you have been in an audit, YOU KNOW they won't worry about the trivial, which this is very trivial. They look for patterns of abuse and see where you are making the BIG purchases and trying to write them off. If your occupation is a farmer and you present them with a log book to prove that spent 30% of the time on the road for something that are not doing for a living, then there is a serious issue but you drive a truck for a living PHIL and it is alright to accept it as it is with receipts.

You have food receipts, fuel receipts, tolls, and a whole host of things to prove to them that you were where you were at the time you were where you were at.

How does a van driver prove he/she was out for 4 weeks?

They don't log, right?

I don't think they worry about it too much, especially when the IRS will take other info - like BOLs.

FedEx will provide you YOUR records on demand, they do provide summaries for IRP for IRP audits and other things so for them to print off a summary to show how many days you were on the road shouldn't be a problem especially because they contract all of this from Qualcomm and have no exclusivity with the EOBRs in your truck.

I may suggest you scheduling a request at the end of the year for YOUR logs to do your TAXES - meaning put it on your to do calender.
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If it doesn't fit your lifestyle or business plan, change it because FedEx isn't going to change theirs.

Someone quote this so he can read it - PLEASE.