If you own your truck, your tax bill is one of your biggest yearly expenses — and most owner-operators overpay simply because they don't track the right things. The good news: nearly everything you spend to keep the truck moving is deductible if you can prove it.

This is general education, not tax advice. Get a CPA who knows trucking. But here's what the real deductions look like.

The big deductions that move the needle

A handful of categories do most of the work on a trucker's return. Get these right and you've covered the majority of what you'll write off.

  • Fuel. Usually your single largest deductible expense. Every gallon on the road counts. If you're getting fuel discounts, deduct what you actually paid — not the pump sticker.
  • Maintenance and repairs. Oil changes, tires, brakes, PM service, roadside fixes, parts, shop labor. Keep the invoice for all of it.
  • Insurance. Physical damage, occupational accident, bobtail — the coverage you carry on the truck and your operation is deductible.
  • Depreciation. The truck itself is a business asset. You deduct its cost over time (or accelerate it in some cases). This is where a good CPA earns their fee.
  • Interest. If you financed the truck or trailer, the interest portion of your payments is deductible.

The smaller ones people forget

Individually they're modest. Together they add up to real money left on the table if you skip them.

  • Cell phone and data — the business-use portion.
  • Subscriptions and software — ELD service, load and routing tools, weather, accounting apps.
  • Per diem (meals). Owner-operators can claim a standard daily meal allowance for full days on the road. Track your nights out — this one is often overlooked and often large.
  • Supplies and gear — straps, chains, gloves, tarps, a fridge or inverter for the sleeper, load-securement tools.
  • Tolls, scales, parking, and lumper fees.
  • Work clothing and boots required for the job, plus DOT physicals.
  • Licensing and compliance costs — plates, permits, and program fees tied to keeping you legal.

Record-keeping that survives an audit

The deduction isn't the hard part — proving it is. If the IRS asks, "I know I bought it" doesn't count. A receipt does.

Build these habits

  • Separate business bank account and card. Never mix personal and truck spending. This alone makes your return defensible.
  • Keep every receipt. Snap a photo the moment you get it. Paper fades; your phone doesn't.
  • Log your days on the road. Your per diem claim rests on how many full days you were out — your ELD and settlement records back this up.
  • Save your settlement statements. They show your gross, your expenses, and what you actually earned — the backbone of your return.

One quiet advantage of running under a carrier's authority: your paperwork trail is cleaner. When you lease on with ARI, your settlements, fuel discounts, and program fees show up in tidy records instead of a shoebox — which makes tax season far less painful and your deductions far easier to prove.

The bottom line

Your goal isn't to deduct more than you spent — it's to make sure you claim every legitimate dollar you did spend, with proof to back it. Track it as you go, not in April, and hire a trucking CPA. What you save will dwarf their fee.

Want more straight-talk guides on running the business side of your truck? Browse the ARI resource center, or call us at (888) 600-9098 to talk through how leasing on could simplify your money and your recordkeeping.