Freight & Logistics
Trucking revenue looks great until you subtract fuel, insurance, maintenance, and factoring fees. We track every cost so you know what each mile actually earns.
Big Revenue, Thin Margins
Trucking and freight businesses move a lot of money. Bank deposits look healthy. But fuel costs, insurance premiums, tire replacements, and maintenance bills eat through that revenue fast. A ten-cent swing in diesel prices changes the math on every load you haul. The gap between gross revenue and what you actually keep is where most trucking companies live or die.
Then there’s the timing problem. You haul freight today, burn fuel today, pay your driver today. But the broker might not pay for 30 or 45 days. If you factor invoices to close that gap, the factoring fee takes another cut. Managing cash flow in trucking means understanding not just how much you earned but when the money actually shows up and what was taken out along the way.
Who This Covers
Who This Covers
Trucking companies, owner-operators, fleet operators, freight brokers, courier services, and warehousing businesses in the Phoenix metro and across Arizona. Anyone in transportation where margins are tight and cash flow timing matters.
The Core Problem
The Core Problem
Revenue and profit are two very different numbers in this industry. Without detailed tracking by truck, by route, and by load type, you can’t tell which work is making money and which is quietly costing you. Most trucking owners have a sense of it, but a sense is not a number you can act on.
What We Handle
Everything starts with Cost Per Mile. We break down your expenses by truck so you know what it actually costs to move each unit. Fuel, insurance, maintenance, loan payments, permits. When you know your floor cost, you stop accepting loads that lose money. This isn’t a rough estimate. It’s a number you can negotiate from with confidence when a broker calls with a rate.
Beyond the per-mile math, we handle the bookkeeping that keeps your operation running clean. Factoring statements get reconciled so revenue is recorded at the full invoice amount, not just the net deposit. Owner-operator payments are tracked for 1099 filing at year end. Quarterly estimated taxes are calculated based on your actual income patterns rather than a guess based on last year.
IFTA Reporting
IFTA Reporting
Fuel purchases matched against miles driven by state. We organize the data throughout the quarter so filing day isn’t a scramble to find receipts and reconstruct mileage logs. Clean IFTA records also protect you if you ever get audited by a state agency.
Factoring Reconciliation
Factoring Reconciliation
The deposit from a factoring company is not your revenue. It’s revenue minus fees and reserve holdbacks. We record the full invoice amount as income, the factoring fee as an expense, and any reserves as receivables. Your books reflect reality instead of just what hit the bank.
Where Things Break Down
The most common issue we see is the “cash rich” feeling that hides real problems. $25,000 in the bank looks comfortable until you realize that $18,000 in fuel bills, insurance premiums, and truck payments are due next week. Without a cash flow forecast that accounts for payment delays from brokers, you’re making decisions based on a number that won’t be there in five days.
Another frequent problem is ignoring the true cost of factoring. Owners treat the factoring fee as just part of the business and never add it up. When you see that you paid $30,000 or more in factoring fees over the past year, it changes the conversation. That number often motivates building enough reserves to stop factoring altogether, or at least to be more selective about which invoices get factored and which ones you can afford to wait on.
Missed Depreciation
Missed Depreciation
Trucks lose value fast, but the tax benefits of depreciation are significant. If your asset schedule isn’t maintained properly, you’re either missing deductions or taking them at the wrong time. Both cost you money. We keep the depreciation schedule current so every write-off is captured correctly.
1099 Compliance Gaps
1099 Compliance Gaps
Owner-operators and independent contractors need 1099s filed. If you don’t have W-9s collected and payments tracked throughout the year, January becomes a nightmare. Late or missing 1099s can trigger IRS penalties, and chasing down paperwork from drivers who have moved on is not how you want to start the new year.
What Changes
You make better decisions about which loads to take. When you know your true Cost Per Mile down to the penny, you can walk away from losing freight with confidence. You negotiate rates based on actual numbers instead of gut feelings. The loads you do haul are profitable, and you can prove it.
Your tax accountant gets a clean, organized set of books. Depreciation schedules are current. Factoring is properly recorded. Deductions for fuel, per diem, maintenance, and permits are all captured. The conversation with your CPA shifts from fixing the books to finding additional savings and planning for the year ahead.
Fleet Decisions Backed by Data
Fleet Decisions Backed by Data
Adding a truck is a major financial commitment. With clean per-unit data, you know exactly how much revenue the new truck needs to generate to cover its loan payment, insurance, and maintenance. You grow when the numbers support it, not just when a deal on a used Freightliner shows up.
Cash Flow Visibility
Cash Flow Visibility
You see money coming in and going out on a real timeline. You know when broker payments are expected, when insurance is due, when loan payments hit. No more surprises that force you to scramble for a factoring advance. You plan ahead instead of reacting to what’s already happened.
Bookkeeping for East Valley Small Businesses
The Next Step:
Tell Us About Your Business
Let us know where things stand with your books and what kind of help you're looking for. We'll give you an honest assessment and a clear price.
