Trucking Bookkeeping Setup Service for a New Carrier
Your first settlement should not be the first time you know what the truck earned. Set up the records that make cash flow, taxes, and cost per mile visible.
The short answer
- A bookkeeping setup should separate revenue, fuel, repairs, insurance, permits, financing, driver pay, and owner draws.
- Bank and settlement records are not enough unless they reconcile to units, loads, mileage, and receipts.
- A clean chart of accounts makes tax preparation and cost-per-mile decisions faster, but it is not tax advice.
- Confirm who reviews the books, how often, and what happens when a receipt or settlement is missing.
A new carrier can have a full bank account and no usable financial picture. Deposits may mix linehaul, fuel surcharge, advances, and reimbursements; expenses may hide maintenance, insurance, permits, and personal draws in one card. This setup page is for buyers who want the records organized before volume arrives. It does not replace a CPA, tax preparer, or licensed financial adviser.
The records your bookkeeper needs
- Separate business banking and card accounts with clear authorized users.
- Broker settlements, factoring statements, advances, and chargebacks by load.
- Fuel receipts and card reports tied to vehicle, driver, date, gallons, and jurisdiction.
- Truck, trailer, insurance, permit, ELD, maintenance, tire, toll, and financing records.
- Owner contributions, draws, payroll or contractor records, and a monthly review owner.
What gets configured
Bookkeeping setup workflow
- 1
Separate the money
Confirm the business bank account, cards, payment flows, factoring deposits, and owner transactions before mapping categories.
- 2
Build the categories
Create a chart that distinguishes fixed operating costs, variable costs, equipment, debt, taxes, and owner activity.
- 3
Connect source records
Match settlements, fuel reports, invoices, receipts, and bank transactions so one payment is not counted twice.
- 4
Set the review cadence
Choose who reconciles the books and when the operating report, cash forecast, and cost-per-mile model are reviewed.