From 062dbaf822e2e5a39759e199d0f1b8ef1ebb8d24 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: justin Date: Sat, 27 Jun 2026 17:27:30 -0500 Subject: [PATCH] newsletter: honest reefer-vs-PTO framing + fuel-metering how-to Reefer (separate tank) = strongest claim; PTO (same engine/tank) flagged as murkier federally and often a state refund. Added a 'how to prove non-propulsion fuel' section: ELD/telematics PTO+idle hours, PTO hour meter, inline flow meter, documented state allocation %, pump separation. --- .../create_trucking_fueltax_newsletter.py | 51 +++++++++++++------ 1 file changed, 36 insertions(+), 15 deletions(-) diff --git a/scripts/workers/create_trucking_fueltax_newsletter.py b/scripts/workers/create_trucking_fueltax_newsletter.py index 5bb010e..779c7f9 100644 --- a/scripts/workers/create_trucking_fueltax_newsletter.py +++ b/scripts/workers/create_trucking_fueltax_newsletter.py @@ -166,34 +166,55 @@ def build_body(): "federal on-highway fuel tax — and the same credit it’s fighting for is one that small " "carriers can claim too." ) - + H2("This isn’t just a reefer issue") + + H2("Reefer fuel is the clearest case — PTO may count too") + P("The federal excise tax on diesel is about 24.3 cents a gallon, and it’s " "meant to pay for diesel that propels a vehicle down the highway. The thing is, a lot of " "the diesel you buy never turns a wheel:") + UL( - "Reefer units — the fuel a refrigerated trailer burns keeping a load cold", - "Power take-off (PTO) and auxiliary equipment — dump-truck hydraulics, " - "cement mixers, bucket / boom / digger derricks, pumpers, blowers, refuse packers, sweepers, " - "wreckers, and other equipment your engine runs while the truck sits still", - "Other off-highway / non-propulsion use — idling auxiliary power and " - "equipment that runs off the same tank", + "Reefer units (the clearest case) — most refrigerated trailers run a " + "separate engine off a separate tank, so that fuel plainly isn’t propelling your truck. That " + "is exactly what Prime is fighting for, and it’s the strongest claim", + "Power take-off (PTO) & auxiliary equipment (often state-level) — " + "dump-truck hydraulics, cement mixers, bucket / boom / digger derricks, pumpers, blowers, refuse " + "packers, sweepers and wreckers usually run off the same engine and tank that moves the " + "truck. That fuel may still qualify, but it’s murkier federally and a lot of PTO recovery " + "actually happens through state fuel-tax refund programs — worth asking your " + "tax pro about", ) - + P("Diesel used for those purposes generally isn’t propelling a highway vehicle, " - "so it may not owe the federal on-highway fuel tax — and the tax you already paid on it may be " - "refundable on IRS Form 4136 (or via Form 8849). That is the same off-highway credit " - "Prime is fighting for on its reefer fuel.") + + P("Reefer fuel may be refundable on IRS Form 4136 (or via Form 8849). For PTO and " + "other auxiliary use, ask your tax professional about both the federal off-highway credit and your " + "state’s fuel-tax refund — either way, the money only comes back if you can show how much " + "fuel went to non-propulsion use.") + P("Over a year of runs that adds up — and if a class action follows Prime’s lawsuit, the " "carriers who kept clean records will be the ones positioned to claim their share.") + + H2("The hard part: proving how much fuel was non-propulsion") + + P("If your reefer has its own tank, this is easy — its fuel is already separate. The tricky case " + "is same-engine, same-tank PTO use (a dump truck or mixer burns from the same tank " + "whether it’s driving or working). You can’t claim what you can’t substantiate, so " + "here’s how carriers actually measure it:") + + UL( + "Pull PTO / idle hours from your ELD or telematics — most modern trucks’ " + "engine computers (ECM) already log PTO-engine and idle time separately from drive time. Multiply " + "those hours by a fuel-burn rate (manufacturer spec or a measured gal/hr) to estimate gallons", + "Add a PTO / equipment hour meter — an inexpensive hour meter on the " + "PTO circuit gives you a clean, independent running total of equipment time", + "Install an inline fuel-flow meter on the reefer or PTO feed — the most " + "precise option (actual gallons, not an estimate) if the recovery is large enough to justify it", + "Use a documented allocation method — when metering isn’t practical, " + "many state programs publish PTO allowance percentages by equipment type (mixer, refuse packer, " + "etc.); a consistent, documented basis is far better than a guess", + "Separate the fuel at the pump where you can — a dedicated fuel card or " + "separate fill for the reefer / equipment tank turns the whole question into a simple receipt total", + ) + H2("What to do now: gather and keep your fuel records") + P("You don’t need to do anything drastic today. The single most important thing is simple: " "don’t throw your fuel records away, and start keeping them organized.") + UL( "Save your fuel receipts and IFTA fuel summaries — especially anything that " "separates reefer or PTO fuel from the fuel that moves the truck", - "If you can, track that fuel separately — a dedicated fuel card, pump, or " - "tank reading for the reefer / PTO equipment makes this much easier to prove later", - "Hold onto reefer run logs, PTO / engine hours, or equipment-meter readings if " - "your unit records them", + "Export and keep your ELD / telematics PTO and idle-hour reports — this is " + "the record most carriers already have and forget to save", + "Hold onto reefer run logs, PTO / engine hours, and equipment-meter readings", "Keep everything by quarter and by year — the cleaner the paper trail, the " "stronger any future claim", )