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newsletter: honest reefer-vs-PTO framing + fuel-metering how-to

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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.
This commit is contained in:
justin 2026-06-27 17:27:30 -05:00
parent 24f401e71a
commit 062dbaf822
1 changed files with 36 additions and 15 deletions
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51
scripts/workers/create_trucking_fueltax_newsletter.py
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@ -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 <strong>24.3 cents a gallon</strong>, and it&rsquo;s "
"meant to pay for diesel that <em>propels a vehicle down the highway</em>. The thing is, a lot of "
"the diesel you buy never turns a wheel:")
+ UL(
"<strong>Reefer units</strong> &mdash; the fuel a refrigerated trailer burns keeping a load cold",
"<strong>Power take-off (PTO) and auxiliary equipment</strong> &mdash; 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",
"<strong>Other off-highway / non-propulsion use</strong> &mdash; idling auxiliary power and "
"equipment that runs off the same tank",
"<strong>Reefer units (the clearest case)</strong> &mdash; most refrigerated trailers run a "
"separate engine off a separate tank, so that fuel plainly isn&rsquo;t propelling your truck. That "
"is exactly what Prime is fighting for, and it&rsquo;s the strongest claim",
"<strong>Power take-off (PTO) &amp; auxiliary equipment (often state-level)</strong> &mdash; "
"dump-truck hydraulics, cement mixers, bucket / boom / digger derricks, pumpers, blowers, refuse "
"packers, sweepers and wreckers usually run off the <em>same</em> engine and tank that moves the "
"truck. That fuel may still qualify, but it&rsquo;s murkier federally and a lot of PTO recovery "
"actually happens through <strong>state</strong> fuel-tax refund programs &mdash; worth asking your "
"tax pro about",
)
+ P("Diesel used for those purposes generally <strong>isn&rsquo;t propelling a highway vehicle</strong>, "
"so it may not owe the federal on-highway fuel tax &mdash; and the tax you already paid on it may be "
"refundable on <strong>IRS Form 4136</strong> (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 <strong>IRS Form 4136</strong> (or via Form 8849). For PTO and "
"other auxiliary use, ask your tax professional about both the federal off-highway credit and your "
"state&rsquo;s fuel-tax refund &mdash; 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 &mdash; and if a class action follows Prime&rsquo;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 &mdash; its fuel is already separate. The tricky case "
"is <strong>same-engine, same-tank PTO use</strong> (a dump truck or mixer burns from the same tank "
"whether it&rsquo;s driving or working). You can&rsquo;t claim what you can&rsquo;t substantiate, so "
"here&rsquo;s how carriers actually measure it:")
+ UL(
"<strong>Pull PTO / idle hours from your ELD or telematics</strong> &mdash; most modern trucks&rsquo; "
"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",
"<strong>Add a PTO / equipment hour meter</strong> &mdash; an inexpensive hour meter on the "
"PTO circuit gives you a clean, independent running total of equipment time",
"<strong>Install an inline fuel-flow meter</strong> on the reefer or PTO feed &mdash; the most "
"precise option (actual gallons, not an estimate) if the recovery is large enough to justify it",
"<strong>Use a documented allocation method</strong> &mdash; when metering isn&rsquo;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",
"<strong>Separate the fuel at the pump where you can</strong> &mdash; 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&rsquo;t need to do anything drastic today. The single most important thing is simple: "
"<strong>don&rsquo;t throw your fuel records away</strong>, and start keeping them organized.")
+ UL(
"Save your <strong>fuel receipts and IFTA fuel summaries</strong> &mdash; especially anything that "
"separates reefer or PTO fuel from the fuel that moves the truck",
"If you can, <strong>track that fuel separately</strong> &mdash; a dedicated fuel card, pump, or "
"tank reading for the reefer / PTO equipment makes this much easier to prove later",
"Hold onto <strong>reefer run logs, PTO / engine hours, or equipment-meter readings</strong> if "
"your unit records them",
"Export and keep your <strong>ELD / telematics PTO and idle-hour reports</strong> &mdash; this is "
"the record most carriers already have and forget to save",
"Hold onto <strong>reefer run logs, PTO / engine hours, and equipment-meter readings</strong>",
"Keep everything <strong>by quarter and by year</strong> &mdash; the cleaner the paper trail, the "
"stronger any future claim",
)