Owner-operators: prepare your IFTA return in an evening
Most owner-operators already keep trip sheets and fuel receipts; the work is turning them into a return. Fuelfern does the per-jurisdiction maths and flags anything missing.
How trucking teams use Fuelfern
- Each week, enter trip legs with the jurisdiction and miles (state-line crossings from your trip sheet or ELD).
- Enter each fuel receipt: date, jurisdiction, gallons, cost.
- At quarter end, download the IFTA tax rate matrix and paste the rates for the jurisdictions you drove in.
- Fix any 'Rate missing' warnings, then copy the Return lines onto your base jurisdiction's return before the deadline.
In the example quarter, two trucks drove through Pennsylvania, Maryland, Ohio, Indiana, New Jersey and other states; fleet MPG was 7.14, and Indiana and Kentucky came out as credits because more fuel was bought there than burned.
Example file: 2 trucks, one made-up quarter (Q3 2026), 193 trip legs, 48 fuel buys
| Jurisdiction | Miles | Gallons bought |
|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | 7,870 | 946 |
| Maryland | 7,428 | 0 |
| Ohio | 5,739 | 1,530 |
| Indiana | 5,381 | 1,432 |
| New Jersey | 4,601 | 1,186 |
Source: The made-up example carrier in the Fuelfern example file, Return tab (built by products/fuelfern/src/workbook.py; rows in products/fuelfern/store/listing.json). The example uses made-up round rates, never real ones.
FAQ
Does it work for one truck?
Yes. It handles 1 to 20 units; with one truck, fleet MPG is that truck's MPG.
Why not pay for a filing service?
IFTAplus prepares a filing for $39 a quarter for 1-2 trucks; Fuelfern is $19 once if you're happy to do it yourself.
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