Did you file electronically?
finances T he Internal Revenue Service last month reminded certain taxpayers that they now must file their heavy vehicle use tax electronically rather than by paper. E-filing of Form 2290 began last year, and individuals and organizations with 25 or more trucks, tractors or other heavy vehicles used on highways now must file the e-form. Most Form 2290s were due by Aug. 31. Last year, motor carriers and others filed more than 700,000 Form 2290s and paid more than $1 billion in federal highway use taxes. Taxpayers using the e-file option don't have to wait for a stamped version of the Schedule 1, Schedule of Heavy Highway Vehicles, to be returned by mail because they almost instantly will receive the equivalent of a stamped ver-sion electronically. That means vehicle owners won't have to wait to register with the appropriate state authority when obtaining the proper license tags. For these reasons, the IRS encourages all taxpayers to file electronically. To file electronically, taxpayers need to select an approved transmitter/software provider for Form 2290. The following compa-nies are IRS-approved developers of electronic business returns: Comdata (www.comdata.com/irs2290) Instant-2290.com (www.i2290.com) Taxsoftware.com (www.taxsoftware.com/2290_product.htm) ThinkTrade (www.tax2290.com) For more information on the Form 2290 requirements, go to www.irs.gov and search IR-2008-94. Did you file electronically? E-file mandate for Form 2290 kicked in Aug. 31 (www.simonspetroleum.com) announced the SuperKnockOut program, a fuel purchasing program designed to reduce losses from nonre-coverable fuel surcharges and provide protection against fuel price spikes. Fleets committing to a minimum quantity of diesel monthly at nearly 200 Pathway Network truckstops can use the program, which works to prevent daily fuel prices from exceed-ing the weekly Department of Energy average price. now offers an online application for businesses seeking disaster assistance loans. The electronic loan application can be accessed via the SBA's secure website at https://disasterloan.sba. gov/ela/. Businesses can use the online application to seek assistance to cover losses to real estate and prop-erty as well as economic injury. Paccar Financial is offering a special Vocational Program for custom-ers who buy or lease new, eligible Kenworth Class 8 vocational trucks. The program offers a no-cost two-year 200,000-mile basic vehicle extended warranty, which doubles the standard one-year 100,000-mile warranty. The extended warranty is valued at more than $1,350. The offer ends Dec. 31. GE Capital Solutions Fleet Services (www.gefleet.com) said it had enhanced its online vehicle configura-tor, combining up-to-date manufac-turer vehicle data and pricing informa-tion with a workflow tool to make ordering faster and more accurate. in brief NAFTA surface trade rises 6.8 percent Trade using surface transportation between the United States and its North American Free Trade Agreement partners Canada and Mexico was 6.8 percent higher in May 2008 than in May 2007, reaching $74.1 billion, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics of the U.S. Department of Transportation. U.S.-Canada surface transportation trade totaled $48.9 billion in May, up 10.5 percent compared to May 2007. The value of imports carried by truck was 6.2 percent lower in May 2008 than May 2007, while the value of exports carried by truck was 10 percent higher. Michigan led all states in surface trade with Canada in May with $5.9 billion. U.S.-Mexico surface transportation trade totaled $25.2 billion in May, up 0.2 percent compared to May 2007. The value of imports carried by truck was 0.9 percent higher in May 2008 than May 2007, while the value of exports carried by truck was 3.6 percent lower. Texas led all states in surface trade with Mexico in May with $8.1 billion. 38 Commercial Carrier Journal September 2008 If you own 25 or more heavy vehicles, say good-bye to the paper version of Form 2290. Electronic filing now is mandatory.