Understanding IFTA & Road Taxes

Ok, I think I understand, but I'd like to confirm. And before someone says "just subtract the tax from the pump price" let me clarify: I'm asking about those pesky states with surchages...


For example, say you're traveling from Denver, CO to Hampton, VA via I70/I64. Is this the correct road tax cost for this run at a 6.5 mpg quarterly average:


[TABLE]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]Miles[/TD]
[TD="width: 83"]Fuel tax[/TD]
[TD="width: 96"]Surcharge[/TD]
[TD="width: 128"]Fuel tax @ 6.5mpg[/TD]
[TD="width: 140"]Weight-distance/mile[/TD]
[TD="width: 141"]__Weight_distance_cost[/TD]
[TD="width: 108"]__Total_“Road_tax”[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Colorado[/TD]
[TD]174[/TD]
[TD]$0.205[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]$5.49[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]$0.00[/TD]
[TD]$5.49[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Kansas[/TD]
[TD]424[/TD]
[TD]$0.260[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]$16.96[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]$0.00[/TD]
[TD]$16.96[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Missouri[/TD]
[TD]250[/TD]
[TD]$0.170[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]$6.54[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]$0.00[/TD]
[TD]$6.54[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Illinois[/TD]
[TD]128[/TD]
[TD]$0.434[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]$8.55[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]$0.00[/TD]
[TD]$8.55[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Indiana[/TD]
[TD]123[/TD]
[TD]$0.160[/TD]
[TD]$0.110[/TD]
[TD]$5.11[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]$0.00[/TD]
[TD]$5.11[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Kentucky[/TD]
[TD]185[/TD]
[TD]$0.281[/TD]
[TD]$0.148[/TD]
[TD]$12.21[/TD]
[TD]$0.0285[/TD]
[TD]$5.27[/TD]
[TD]$17.48[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]West Virginia[/TD]
[TD]189[/TD]
[TD]$0.357[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]$10.38[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]$0.00[/TD]
[TD]$10.38[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Virginia[/TD]
[TD]298[/TD]
[TD]$0.202[/TD]
[TD]$0.010[/TD]
[TD]$9.72[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]$0.00[/TD]
[TD]$9.72[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Total:[/TD]
[TD]1771[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]$74.95[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]$80.22[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]



Now here are the lowest Pilot/Flying J pump prices for this route as of today (note that the Indiana price has an asterisk saying "tax exempt" -- does that mean the $0.16 has already been subtracted? Or the $0.11? both? Or does "tax exempt" mean exempt from other non-applicable state taxes?). So is this the correct "true cost" of fuel:

[TABLE]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]Pump Price[/TD]
[TD="width: 83"]Fuel tax[/TD]
[TD="width: 96"]Surcharge[/TD]
[TD="width: 128"]"True cost" per gal[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Colorado[/TD]
[TD]$3.859[/TD]
[TD]$0.205[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]$3.654[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Kansas[/TD]
[TD]$3.769[/TD]
[TD]$0.260[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]$3.509[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Missouri[/TD]
[TD]$3.599[/TD]
[TD]$0.170[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]$3.429[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Illinois[/TD]
[TD]$3.839[/TD]
[TD]$0.434[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]$3.405[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Indiana[/TD]
[TD]$3.659[/TD]
[TD]$0.160[/TD]
[TD]$0.110[/TD]
[TD]$3.499[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Kentucky[/TD]
[TD]$3.699[/TD]
[TD]$0.281[/TD]
[TD]$0.148[/TD]
[TD]$3.418[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]West Virginia[/TD]
[TD]$3.939[/TD]
[TD]$0.357[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]$3.582[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Virginia[/TD]
[TD]$3.699[/TD]
[TD]$0.202[/TD]
[TD]$0.010[/TD]
[TD]$3.497[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]


Now lets say you have twin 150 gal tanks and you're adventurous and just want to fill up once. I'm assuming that it would be best to buy your 272.5 gallons in Illinois for a true cost of $927.86. You would have paid $1,046.13 at the pump so you prepaid $118.27 IFTA. Since you only needed to pay $74.95 in fuel tax, you would have a $43.31 refund coming at the quarter. You would also still have to pay a separate $5.27 KYU filing. Correct so far?



I think so, but here is the hard part. Let's say I fueled in Kentucky. Didn't I pay that $0.148 surcharge at the pump? Meaning does my cost to run Kentucky basically go from $12.21 to $8.00? I've heard it explained two ways -- that that $0.148 is taken out of every gallon but only credited towards miles run in KY (eg they don't refund the surcharge to IFTA). And I've heard that the pump price doesn't have that $0.148 included and that it would have to come from IFTA (this doesn't seem right since a local KY truck would always owe fuel tax?). If it is the later, my true cost would be $931.41. If it is the former, my true cost would be $927.20 -- actually lower than Illinois.


Thank you very much to all who can elucidate

 

Thanks -- that's where I was most unsure. The tables in the original post are then correct and you can "just subtract the tax" (but not the surcharge) from the pump price.