Trucking & Logistics

Bookkeeping for Trucking Companies and Owner-Operators in El Paso and New Mexico

Earickson Bookkeeping and Taxes provides bookkeeping, fuel tax and per diem record-keeping, payroll, and tax preparation for owner-operators, small fleets, and freight businesses in El Paso, Las Cruces, and across Texas and New Mexico. El Paso sits on I-10 next to some of the busiest commercial border crossings in the country: Ysleta–Zaragoza, Bridge of the Americas, and Santa Teresa. Trucking here comes with its own paperwork, and I keep it current so you can keep the wheels turning.

Know your numbers per mile

A trucking business can look profitable on gross revenue and still lose money on every load. I set up your books to show:

• Cost per mile: fuel, maintenance, tires, insurance, truck payment, and driver pay, divided by total miles

• Revenue per loaded mile, and how much deadhead is costing you

• Profit by truck and by lane, so you know which units and which customers are worth keeping

What I set up for trucking businesses

Settlements, fuel advances, and factoring handled correctly. Factoring fees are an expense, not missing revenue. Any reserve your factor holds back is still your money. I reconcile factoring statements every month so nothing falls through the cracks.

Per diem records that support the deduction. For drivers subject to DOT hours-of-service rules, the IRS special transportation per diem rate is $80 per day in the continental U.S. ($86 outside it), unchanged for the period starting October 1, 2026. Those drivers can deduct 80% of meal expenses instead of the usual 50%. Owner-operators claim this on their own return. Company drivers on a W-2 generally can't deduct unreimbursed per diem, so how you pay drivers matters. Your logs need to show the days you were away from home.

Cross-border costs kept separate. If you run loads into Mexico, I track customs broker fees, bridge tolls, and Mexican insurance as their own lines, so you can see what cross-border work actually costs you.

Payroll and 1099s for drivers. That covers W-2 company drivers and leased owner-operators. For payments made in 2026, the 1099-NEC threshold is $2,000.

Your trucking compliance calendar

• IFTA (fuel tax), quarterly. Due April 30, July 31, October 31, and January 31. You need miles driven and fuel bought in each state or province, so trip records and fuel receipts have to be complete every quarter.

• Form 2290 (Heavy Vehicle Use Tax), yearly. Required for trucks with a taxable gross weight of 55,000 pounds or more. The tax year runs July 1 to June 30, and for trucks on the road in July the return is due August 31. You need the IRS-stamped Schedule 1 to register or renew IRP plates.

• New Mexico weight-distance tax, quarterly. New Mexico taxes commercial vehicles with a declared gross weight over 26,000 pounds on New Mexico highways, based on weight and miles driven in the state. It requires an annual permit for each vehicle, quarterly returns, and all returns current before you can renew. Texas has no equivalent tax, so an El Paso carrier that crosses into New Mexico has a filing obligation a Texas-only carrier doesn't.

• IRP apportioned registration, yearly, for trucks operating in more than one state.

How I work with trucking businesses

• Monthly bookkeeping in the online accounting software I use, tracked by truck

• IFTA and New Mexico weight-distance mileage and fuel records organized each quarter

• Per diem tracking and year-end tax preparation for owner-operators

• Payroll, 941s, W-2s, and 1099s for drivers

• Catch-up bookkeeping when a busy season put the paperwork on hold

Frequently asked questions

What's the per diem rate for truck drivers?

For drivers subject to DOT hours-of-service rules, the IRS special transportation rate is $80 per day for travel in the continental U.S. and $86 outside it. These drivers can deduct 80% of that amount instead of the 50% most business travelers get. Rates are reviewed every October 1.

Do I need a New Mexico weight-distance permit if I'm just passing through on I-10?

If your truck's declared gross weight is over 26,000 pounds and it travels on New Mexico highways, yes. Carriers who rarely enter the state can use a temporary trip permit instead of an annual one.

What records do I need for IFTA?

Miles driven in each jurisdiction and fuel purchased in each jurisdiction, backed by trip records (ELD data works) and fuel receipts. Missing records are what turn an IFTA audit expensive.

Can you help a one-truck owner-operator, or only fleets?

Both. Owner-operators often benefit the most, because per diem, depreciation, and quarterly estimated taxes add up to real money at tax time.

Ready to see your real cost per mile? Schedule a New Client Call.

Official sources: IRS, About Form 2290 · IRS Publication 463, Travel and Car Expenses · New Mexico MVD, Weight Distance Tax · IFTA, Inc.

General information, current as of October 2026. Not tax or legal advice for your specific situation.