5 Bookkeeping Mistakes That Cost Truckers Thousands
Running a trucking business is tough enough — the last thing you want is for your own books to trip you up. But every year, drivers lose thousands of dollars simply because of bookkeeping mistakes.
Here are the most common ones I see:
1. Mixing Business and Personal Expenses
It’s tempting to swipe the same card for fuel, groceries, and truck maintenance. But when tax time comes, that mess can cost you missed deductions and trigger IRS red flags.
👉 Fix it: Open a separate business account and run everything through that card or account.
2. Relying on Bank Statements Alone
Bank statements show what left your account — not what category it belongs in. If you don’t categorize expenses properly, you’re losing clarity and deductions.
👉 Fix it: Use bookkeeping software (like QuickBooks) to track every expense by category.
3. Trusting QuickBooks’ Auto-Categorization
QuickBooks guesses where things go, but more than half the time it’s wrong. That leaves you with messy numbers that don’t reflect your real business.
👉 Fix it: Review every transaction and adjust categories yourself or with a bookkeeper’s help.
4. Waiting Until Tax Season to “Catch Up”
If you only touch your books once a year, you’re running blind. You won’t know if you’re actually profitable until it’s too late.
👉 Fix it: Review your books monthly (at least). Better yet, weekly.
5. Not Knowing Your Cost Per Mile
This is the single most important number in trucking. If you don’t know your cost per mile, you don’t know if your rates are covering your expenses and profit.
👉 Fix it: Track every cost — fuel, maintenance, permits, insurance — and divide by miles driven.
Protect Your Numbers (and Your Business)
Avoiding these mistakes can save you thousands each year — and keep your business alive when others shut down.
This is what I do every day at Red Clay Bookkeeping: I help truckers clean up messy books, find hidden leaks, and get clarity about their money.
👉 Want to see the difference for yourself? Sign up for a free bookkeeping makeover before spots run out.
