SLT - Secured Land Transport

I don't understand how SLT can advance your per diem to you at the $55.00 per day rate when the DOT per diem law only allows you 80% of the current per diem rate of $59.00 which works out to be $47.20 per day actual?

You will end up owing on the untaxed $7.80 per day excess if you are honest at tax time; all the while showing a lower gross pay per paycheck & end of year W2, negatively influencing any decision that takes your income into account as per diem/travel allowance does not factor.


I made a bit over $62k last year; since my company advances per diem, I can only claim I grossed around $50k on loan applications, mortgages, ect.

If I got full straight pay on every paycheck, my W2 gross would show the full $62k; regardless of what per diem I then claimed at tax time while still receiving the full amount of untaxed income afforded me by per diem.

The only time this would differ is if they requested your completed tax form listing the claimed per diem, instead of just W2; & this is only common on large mortgage type deals.

You make the same regardless if you file correctly, but how it is perceived differs because of how the financial system is set up to usually only take gross into account & can affect you negatively.


You are allowed the same per diem no matter what at end of year anyway no matter what the company fronts to you, why hurt your listed gross pay?

To clarify, if you opt out of per diem, your pay is exactly the same just not split on paycheck correct?

What is the min MPG you are held to & has that value varied any since inception?

 

SLT used to pay 1.05 per mile . Was years ago.

 

I think I saw one of their trailers advertising that at the Loves in Binghamton, NY a couple months ago.

Can only imagine what the load pays the company....

 

What happens if you don't get your clearance ?

 

No... this is NOT correct. If you "opt out", then you will be paying about 7.65% in FICA/MC tax on the per diem amount, making your net paycheck SMALLER than if you had permitted the Company to deduct that (now UNtaxed) per diem from your gross pay each paycheck.

Remember... the expense reimbursement IS paid to you on your paycheck! Instead of being included in the "Gross Pay" amount, it is added as a separate line item usually called "Per Diem Expenses Reimbursed". In MOST cases, allowing the company to deduct "per diem" from your gross wages paid SHELTERS that per diem amount from FICA/MC taxes. You STILL get paid that per diem amount on your paycheck... just as an add-back under a line item other than "Gross Wages".

Bottom line... "opting out" will, for most people, cause slightly reduced weekly paychecks, and LESS money into your bank account since you ultimately pay MORE in taxes each year.

PS The "benefit" to the Company is that they do NOT have to match (an EXPENSE to them) your FICA/Medicare taxes paid on per diem, which on a weekly basis saves them: $55 per diem X 7.65% = $4.20 less in taxes, or around $1,367/annually per driver, assuming driver gets 325 days of per diem amount. This amount is also "saved" by the driver on their tax return.

 

I was referring to your actual pay rate from the company; eg. some companies reduce your paid CPM if you opt out of per diem. (see Millis, Interstate distributing)