previous days logs.......huh?

The only requirement on seats is they have to be securely mounted. If there is a passenger seat then there must be steps on that side. The two go together. He had a passenger seat.

 

ours just have the sticker that match that brand of trailer( we now pull several brands), it has the max distance by pin hole for certain states not a required hole. Some have two settings. One for State Routes and another just in general.

 

that's actually a not so smart thing to do.


if you have used your 59 dollar a day meal allowance I would keep th logs for at three years to prove your deduction to the IRS. there are different reasons to keep things besides the DOT

 

I've had more than 8 in my book before, yes it can get you in hot water and make them dig a little deeper. Its just like flagging fuel, lunch, etc they get a city and state that's it. I don't even write milage on my DVIR anymore. Its not required some say its lazy nope I don't feel like getting screwed.

 

None of which has anything to do with the FMCSA or the topic of the thread. Having more than what is required available for an enforcement officer to peruse is the "not so smart thing to do." What a driver does insofar as keeping log pages beyond what is required and for whatever reasons is an entirely different topic.

 

You don't even have to keep those logs. You're right. Plus any tax person who knows trucking wouldn't need those logs. Especially not 3 years worth.

 

Can you explain to me why they would not?

 

They can go by your W2 and paystubs. Most can do simple math, you do 150,000 a year, let's say, divide that by how many days are in a year and tweak it. I have a freind who does this stuff. That's the way he explained it to me. Most tax people aren't going through day to day logs. If you're an O/O I can see demanding that if you're trying to get down to the penny, but most tax people are doing it the simpler way.

 

During my audit, you had to provide the records to support the days out. It was 3 years ago. There are other things available, but the IRS easily accepted the logs.

It is also much easier for the driver to provide the proof to me in order to prepare the returns. He has to support the per diem claim if audited, not the preparer.

How much audit experience and tax preparation do you have to give such advice?

 

None. As I said, it was explained this way to me.