Hey, it’s ExpressAmber, and today we’re going to talk about important paperwork that you should have in your truck.
All right, so it’s no secret that I have said over all of these years how complicated it is to be a truck driver. Sometimes people think, “Oh, like, oh, they’re just driving a truck,” and there’s so much more to driving a truck than just driving the truck. You go to school for weeks and months to just learn how to drive the truck.
A lot of times what I have found, though, is that the schools don’t teach you the paperwork side of things. They don’t teach you how to manage your business from a working aspect number one, but then number two, all of the taxes and the registrations and the renewals and updates that you have to keep up with. A lot of times that’s not taught in trucking school.
So, I know that there’s dispatching schools and all sorts of other types of schools to teach you how to do those specific things, but again, what kind of paperwork do you need in your truck? Are you required to have in your truck? And so, I have a list of documents that you could be required.
Again, a lot of it depends on the state, the DOT officer that pulls you over, all of that good stuff, but I have a list of documents that you could be required to have in your truck. This might be helpful for you to just get this all together and that way when you are pulled over for a DOT inspection or pulled over, you have it together all in one place that you’re able to just hand over and you have all of this right there in your truck.
So, number one, your truck and your trailer registration, also the DOT inspection for your truck and the trailer. It’s also important to have your rental or your lease agreement for the trailer if applicable. Again, this is something that if you have your own trailer and you have the lease agreement for that trailer, you want to have that with you.
Your proof of insurance, having a copy of that is super, super important. Your IFTA license, your IRP registration, a lot of times those things go together. When you’re getting IRP, you also have to get IFTA. And so, a lot of times people just keep that together, but your IFTA license again, and that renews every year, and so you want to make sure that you have your updated IFTA license with you. The same thing with your IRP, your registration card, make sure that you have the current one in your truck with you.
A copy of your UCR registration, now again, this isn’t necessarily required, but it’s always better to have more information than not enough information. So, your UCR, again that renews every year, and so make sure you have the current UCR registration with you. If the DOT inspector officer asks for it, you have it. A copy of your other state fuel permit, so again, if you’re traveling in Kentucky, New York, Oregon, you know how you have your KYU or your Oregon State permit, those things make sure you have a copy with you.
And that way, again, if you are pulled over and you are asked for those things, you have those other state permits with you. Your liability insurance, your medical examiner certificate, and then your ELD manual and also a malfunction guide. Those manuals that go with your ELD again, make sure they’re in the same place where all of this other paperwork is to show that you have those readily available if you need them. And then also just general information, your MC number, your DOT number.
Again, if you have those state permits, what are your numbers there in those states? All of this is good to have together because, again, when you are pulled over, that is not the time to freak out about, ‘Oh my goodness, do I have all of my paperwork together?’
Have it together in a folder along with all of these other required documents, such as the Form 2290. Again, that is an annual tax that’s due to the IRS. Typically, July-August are the deadline periods for that. And when you have your 2290, you get a stamped Schedule 1, and that’s basically the receipt of filing.
So, you’ll need that to update your IRP to renew your registration plates. All of these forms kind of intermingle with each other at some point, so you should have a copy of your Form 2290, your stamped Schedule 1 with you as well to show that you’re up to date, again, and it just will back up those other documents.
So, these are some of the required documents that you should have together in your truck at all times. If you have further questions or you have another topic that you would like me to discuss, comment down below, and I’ll be happy to do that.
And always subscribe to my channel so you get notifications when I have a new video. Thanks so much, and I look forward to helping you. Bye.
