Do you have questions about the International Registration Plan (IRP)? TruckingOfffice now has answers on the TruckingOffice IRP Resource Center.

Like the TruckingOffice IFTA Resource Center, this website will give you many of the answers to the questions you have about IRP and how it affects your trucking business.

IRP in your future

Most likely, you’ve got to pay IRP fees in the next six months. Since it’s figured on how many miles you’ve driven in the past six months and in which jurisdiction, it becomes a complicated number to figure out.

Essentially, the IRP is based on the same numbers as IFTA. But if you’re using an IFTA only software program, it’s not going to help you with IRP.

That would be pretty annoying to have to re-enter the same data into another program just to figure out another tax. But with an IFTA-only software package, that’s exactly what you’ll have to do.

And it’s not like QuickBooks is going to do it for you either.

You need a complete trucking management software program to handle IRP.

IRP Software vs TMS

Truckers sell a service to shippers. But that service is based on our time on the road. That’s why we need to handle the business end of our trucking businesses as quickly as possible and as accurately as possible.

• Business management requires attention on a regular basis – or there’s no money to keep the business or our lives going. You’re not working for free. But unless the invoices are being sent and the money is coming in, you might as well be.

• Accuracy in billing is always critical. You want to be paid. But the mileage numbers are just as important for the taxes – IFTA and IRP. Messing those up can result in fines and penalties that could drive you out of business.

There’s a lot of math in a job that’s supposed to be about hauling freight.

That’s why having a spreadsheet or single use program is such a problem. Number problems might creep in with every entry.

Using a complete TMS program that will compute invoices, track routing and dispatches, and compute IFTA and IRP taxes makes sense. It’s not just a monthly expense that you have to afford, it’s an investment in making your trucking business more successful.

Your Business

Imagine if you had to compute your IRP or IFTA by hand. How many billable hours would you lose per year? That doesn’t seem like too many… IFTA by hand might take most truckers 8 hours per quarter – or about 32 hours per year. Based on the information on the IRP resource page, I’d guess that the IRP would be much the same – so about 16 hours per year.

16 hours plus 32 hours = 48 hours. That’s more than a week off the road just to figure out the taxes you have to pay.

But what about billing? If every invoice took you an hour to manage by hand, how many hours per week would you be stuck at a desk?

Your business isn’t just about the IRP. That’s just one component – but it’s a great example of why using a single software program that manages everything is better than any other option.

Trucking Management Software

Even if that IFTA, IRP and invoices was all that a trucking management software could do, it would probably be worth it to pay a monthly fee for it. Its annual cost would pay you back just by keeping you on the road instead of on the computer.

But TruckingOffice TMS doesn’t do IRP, IFTA and invoices. It does a lot more.

• Driver management – settlements, licenses, and medical forms are tracked.
• Maintenance – tracking and scheduling your equipment maintenance based on miles or by date
• Dispatches – information about the dispatch and the routing are directly sent to your driver’s cell phone and linked to the TruckingOffice ELD app.
• Tracking loads – to keep your customers happy.

Trucking Management isn’t just about managing the truck – it’s about managing all of your trucking business. And doing it efficiently and conveniently – even if you’re on the road.

The IRP Resource Center is now open, but so is your opportunity to try TruckingOffice Trucking Management System for your trucking business for free. You can sign up today for a free trial to explore all of what a great TMS can offer you now – including your IRP.