Owner-operator trucker bookkeeping: factoring deposits against fuel, scales, ELD, insurance and highway-use tax
An owner-operator is paid by a factoring company or a broker; the costs are the fuel card, scales, a load board, ELD, truck insurance, parts, IFTA and the heavy-vehicle use tax. The bank statement holds both, so the month's profit starts there.
Worked example: one October
The tool ships a synthetic statement for a one-truck owner-operator (fixtures/trucking-checking.csv): four deposits and thirteen outgoing lines. Every line gets a suggested account with no rules taught; check each one.
| October 2026 | Amount |
|---|---|
| Factoring and broker deposits | $11,755.75 |
| Money in | $11,755.75 |
| Fuel card, truck stop, scales, wash (vehicle) | −$1,968.60 |
| Truck parts (repairs) | −$327.86 |
| Load board and ELD (software) | −$184.00 |
| Truck insurance | −$684.00 |
| IFTA, Form 2290, PrePass (taxes and licenses) | −$998.80 |
| Lumper fee (direct job cost) | −$120.00 |
| Costs | −$4,283.26 |
| Profit before draw | $7,472.49 |
The $1,500.00 Zelle to the owner is suggested as an owner draw (equity), not a cost, so it does not reduce profit. Truck payments, depreciation, per diem and the factoring fee's treatment are separate questions: ask an accountant. A factoring advance is money in here, but check how your factor reports fees and reserves.
Questions
Where do factoring advances and the fuel-card payment go?
Factoring and broker payments are suggested as sales; the Comdata or fleet fuel-card payment, scales and truck washes go under vehicle and fuel; Form 2290, IFTA and PrePass go under taxes and licenses. The tool suggests each from the payee, so check every line.
Is a Zelle to myself a cost?
No. A transfer to the owner is suggested as an owner draw (equity), so it does not reduce profit.
Open AI Bookkeeper and import your bank statement. Rules are written from company names; no real trucker's statement has been tried.