Owning and managing a trucking fleet is a complicated endeavor. But with the right information and processes in place, you’ll be running your fleet operation smoothly in no time.
In this article, we discuss four trucking fleet essentials and the best practices that make owning and managing commercial vehicles easier.
Trucking Fleet Essentials
Federal Registration Numbers
Trucking fleet vehicles must have one, if not two, federal registration numbers: a United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) number and a Motor Carrier (MC) number.
A USDOT number is a unique vehicle identifier that distinguishes one commercial vehicle from another when reporting and monitoring safety information acquired during audits, compliance reviews, crash investigations, and inspections.
An MC number (sometimes called an Operating Authority), gives your business the legal right to conduct specific activities (e.g., moving passengers, hauling freight, transporting hazardous materials) within your state and across state lines.
Depending on what your trucking fleet does, you may need to obtain multiple MC numbers to authorize the daily activities of your fleet.
To find out if you need an MC number, visit the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) website for more details.
Intrastate License And Registration
In addition to the federal USDOT and MC numbers, your state may require additional licensing and registration.
These permits may depend on a variety of factors, including:
- Whether cargo or passengers are transported across state or international borders
- Whether goods are transported within one state but part of the trip crosses into another state
- Whether goods are transported within one state but the cargo originates or finishes the trip outside the state
To ensure that your trucking fleet has all the proper intrastate licensing and registration necessary, check with your local DMV, BMV, or state driver licensing agency.
International Fuel Tax Agreement Registration
If your trucking fleet operates vehicles with two or more axles that weigh over 26,000 pounds, you’ll need to register those vehicles with the International Fuel Tax Association (IFTA).
The IFTA manages and enforces the International Fuel Tax Agreement (also IFTA), which is a tax collection arrangement between the 48 contiguous states in the U.S. and the 10 provinces in Canada that border those states.
Upon registration, you’ll receive credentials that must be displayed on the outside of all applicable vehicles along with photographic proof of your IFTA license.
Heavy Vehicle Use Tax
Heavy Vehicle Use Tax (HVUT) applies to all vehicles that operate on public highways and weigh more than 55,000 pounds. Registration is done through the IRS on Form 2290, and fees are based on the weight of each vehicle in your fleet.
Here’s how it works:
If one or more vehicles in your trucking fleet weigh between 55,000 pounds and 75,000 pounds, your business must pay a base fee of $100 plus $22 for each 1,000 pounds above 55,000.
So, for example, if one of your vehicles weighs 65,000 pounds (10,000 pounds above the 55,000-pound threshold), you’ll use this formula to calculate your HVUT:
HVUT = Base Fee + (((Truck Weight – 55,000) / 1,000) x $22))
HVUT = $100 + (((65,000 – 55,000) / 1,000) x $22)
HVUT = $100 + ((10,000 / 1,000) x $22)
HVUT = $100 + (10 x $22)
HVUT = $100 + $220
HVUT = $320
If one or more of your vehicles exceed 75,000 pounds, you can pay a flat fee of $550 per vehicle.
Best Practices For Running A Trucking Fleet
1) Decide Whether To Buy Or Lease
Operating a trucking fleet starts with acquiring vehicles. There are three main ways to do this:
- Rent
- Lease
- Buy
Renting is a great way to fill operational gaps for a week or two or to experiment with different types of vehicles. But don’t plan on using this option long term — the cost of doing so is economically prohibitive.
Instead, choose between leasing and buying.
Leasing is like renting but is structured more toward the long term (i.e., a year or longer). With the right lease agreement, you may even get preventative maintenance, registration and licensing, compliance, and government-mandated paperwork included in the price.
Buying involves purchasing the vehicle or vehicles yourself and taking on the responsibility of doing everything necessary to keep them legal and in good working order. Doing so can be a major up-front expense and can expose you to a lot of variables that you may not be ready for.
2) Harness The Power Of Technology
Technology has changed dramatically in the past few years and managers and drivers now have access to a wide variety of digital tools and solutions that streamline operations and improve fuel efficiency, including the big three:
- Fleet management software
- Telematics
- Smart fuel card
Fleet management software can help you monitor and control much of the essential data that your business needs to function smoothly, such as hours of service, routing, pre- and post-trip inspection checklists, and vehicle maintenance (just to name a few).
Telematics can give you an extremely detailed view of how your vehicles are running to help you prevent breakdowns, dispatch vehicles more effectively, and take steps to keep your bottom line in the black.
Smart fuel cards work together with fleet management software and telematics to give you a much more accurate view of where your fuel dollars are going and the tools necessary to control fuel spending.
3) Focus On Fuel Management
While a big part of fuel management depends on the smart fuel card that you integrate into your workflow, there are a number of other strategies you can use to maximize your savings, including:
- Taking advantage of fuel card rebates and rewards
- Preventing fuel theft and fraud
- Maintaining correct tire pressure
- Adding aerodynamic improvements to fleet vehicles
With a smart fuel card like Coast, you can also take advantage of card-level controls that allow you to set expense limits based on vehicle location, vehicle size, day of the week, time of day, and dollar amount (just to name a few).
4) Implement Preventative Maintenance Policies And Practices
A comprehensive set of preventative maintenance policies and practices go a long way toward helping your trucking fleet save money and run as smoothly as possible.
Small mechanical issues tend to become bigger (more expensive) issues if not fixed right away. But how are you going to know about those issues if you don’t check your vehicles regularly?
Set up a preventative maintenance schedule for each vehicle and make it mandatory for drivers to conduct both a pre- and post-trip inspection every time they climb in the truck.
5) Make Fuel-Efficient Driving Techniques Mandatory
Making fuel-efficient driving techniques mandatory can save your trucking fleet a truckload of money.
Smooth acceleration, smooth braking, and consistent speed (just to name a few) can help reduce the wear and tear that your vehicles experience as well as the amount of fuel used to get from point A to point B.
Monitor driver behavior with telematics and dash cams to ensure that all drivers are sticking to the fuel-efficient driving techniques that you implement.
If you find discrepancies, take the time to train your drivers to pilot their vehicles better.
6) Right-Size Your Fleet
Right-sizing your trucking fleet is a great way to save money and simplify the day-to-day activities of your operation.
The first step is to analyze fleet data to figure out the type and size of vehicles that work best for your business. The second step is to use key performance indicators to settle on the total number of vehicles your fleet can field without wasting resources.
Maximizing type, size, and total number of fleet vehicles can help you streamline your trucking fleet operation while still providing full coverage for your customers and clients.
7) Prioritize Route Planning And Dispatch
Optimizing the routes that your trucking fleet vehicles take every day can help you control and reduce fuel costs and the impact that all those miles have on your most expensive assets.
Use fleet management software and GPS to find the exact location of your vehicles, approved roads (for larger vehicles), and alternate routes that allow you to plot the shortest distance to a destination and redirect vehicles to avoid delays.
Doing so can have a positive effect on costly variables like:
- Total miles driven
- Time en route
- Engine run time (both moving the vehicle and idling)
- Fuel consumption
- Number of deliveries or appointments per day
For more ways to make your route planning and dispatch better, check out this article from the Coast blog: What Is Route Optimization? | A Guide For Fleet Managers.
Fuel Savings For Trucking Fleets Of All Sizes
Managing a trucking fleet requires a balance of cost control, security, and operational efficiency. Coast delivers on all fronts. With industry-leading features designed to simplify fleet management, Coast helps trucking businesses save time and money while enhancing security.
Here’s what makes Coast fuel cards the ultimate fleet card solution:
✅ Powerful card controls and fraud protection – Set limits, restrict spending categories, and prevent unauthorized purchases with Coast’s advanced security features, backed by a $25,000 annual fuel fraud guarantee.
✅ Seamless integrations with top telematics providers – Improve oversight with GPS-based transaction declines, automatic odometer readings, and real-time vehicle sync.
✅ Fuel savings at 30,000+ gas stations – Coast customers enjoy rebates of up to 10¢ per gallon, helping fleets cut costs on every fuel-up.
✅ Automated IFTA reporting – Eliminate manual tracking and simplify compliance with an automated fuel tax report.
Whether you’re optimizing fuel spend, improving security, or increasing efficiency, Coast is the all-in-one fleet card solution built for modern trucking businesses.
Apply in minutes