Trades and home services
Bookkeeping for truck drivers and owner-operators
You're paid by the load, often through a factoring company, and your truck eats money every mile. Good books show what each mile really earns.
Updated October 4, 2026
In short
Owner-operators and small trucking companies are paid through settlements from carriers or brokers, often via factoring, and spend heavily on fuel, maintenance, insurance and truck payments. We record settlements at gross, track factoring fees, keep fuel and maintenance organized, and keep mileage totals ready for your IFTA filings. Most owner-operators fit Simple or Moderate.
How the money moves
How money comes in and goes out
Leased owner-operators receive weekly settlements from their carrier, net of fuel advances, insurance and fees. Those with their own authority invoice brokers, and many sell those invoices to a factoring company to get paid within days instead of weeks, minus a fee.
The costs are relentless: fuel, tires, maintenance, insurance, permits, the truck payment, and road expenses.
Common problems
Where the books usually go wrong
Net settlements
A settlement already has fuel advances, escrow and fees taken out. Booked net, you can't see what you really grossed or spent.
Factoring fees
Factoring costs a few percent of every load. Over a year that's a major expense that often never gets recorded.
Mileage and fuel records
IFTA filings need miles and fuel by state. Without organized records, every quarter is a scramble.
Every month
What we do every month
- Record each settlement at gross, with deductions as expenses
- Record factoring advances, fees and reserves
- Categorize fuel, maintenance, tires, insurance and permits
- Keep mileage and fuel totals organized for your IFTA preparer
- Show profit per mile so you know which lanes pay
A month of books, for example
An owner-operator with his own authority hauls about 10 loads a month and factors every invoice. We'd record $26,000 in gross revenue, $780 in factoring fees, $9,400 in fuel and the truck payment, and report his profit per mile at $0.71, ready for his accountant and his next rate negotiation.
Illustrative example, not a client story.
Getting started
What we need from you
- Carrier settlement statements or factoring company reports
- Fuel card statements
- Your ELD or mileage reports
Software and statements we work from
- Factoring company reports
- Comdata
- EFS fuel cards
- Motive
- Samsara
- QuickBooks Online
Price
What it costs
Single-truck owner-operators usually fit Simple, $200 to $400 a month. Small fleets with drivers and several trucks sit in Moderate or Complex.
One flat monthly price, set after the free review. See the pricing guide or estimate your tier.
Questions
Common questions
Do you file IFTA returns?
We keep the fuel and mileage totals organized for whoever files them. Filing we'd discuss in the review.
I'm leased to a carrier. Do I still need a bookkeeper?
Yes, if you want to know your real profit. Settlements hide a lot of your costs.
Can you track each truck separately?
Yes. For small fleets, each truck can be tracked as a class.
What about per diem?
We record what you spend. How per diem applies on your return is for your accountant.
Similar businesses
Industries like yours
Trade contractors
Roofing, electrical, plumbing, HVAC: job costs, subs, supplier accounts.
Learn moreHome service businesses
Cleaning, landscaping, pest, pool: recurring routes and field-app payouts.
Learn moreGeneral contractors and remodelers
Draws, retainage, customer deposits, change orders, work in progress.
Learn moreBook your free review
Got it. We'll text you within one business day.
Pick a time now