Overdrive Magazine | Trucking Business News & Owner Operator Info
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/675322
30 | Overdrive | May 2016 Owner-Operator of the Year trucking, she's more than repaid the favor through using her accounting experience to handle his taxes and oth- er finances. She's a former Registered Industrial Accountant (a Canadian des- ignation) who handled many truckers' taxes when she worked for H&R Block. "I've gone head to head with Revenue Canada," the equivalent of the Internal Revenue Service. "We've been audited. It doesn't bother me a bit. Friends have gone into court, and I've won for them." When Tricco hears from friends about some expense that can be claimed on LOADED HAULING , . HITCHED AND IF IT AIN'T TURNING, IT AIN'T EARNING. Find a dealer at DaytonTruckTires.com ©2016 Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC. All Rights Reserved. 16-DAYTON-0006 M1mp Overdrive Dave 4.5x7.375.indd 1 4/13/16 10:29 AM Untitled-22 1 4/14/16 2:19 PM his taxes, he runs it by Melody. "She brings out the revenue book and says, 'You can't claim that,' " he says. As for that $25,000 award, he and Melody have no special plans – just paying off bills and saving for retire- ment, though that's not in the near future. "I've probably got another eight years of driving, and then maybe try to come in the office and do driver training," he says. "Or I might hang up the license and enjoy life." TRICCO'S ADVICE TO NEW OWNER-OPERATORS 1 Do your research to find a reputa- ble company to lease to. 2 Spec your equipment properly when you're buying a truck. 3 Put away money for maintenance. Mark and Melody Tricco save about 7 percent of their revenue. 4 Don't fall behind on routine maintenance. 5 Keep all receipts. 6 "Always be focused. Look ahead, and worry about what the other guy's going to do." 7 Drive no faster than the speed you're comfortable with, even if most other vehicles are going faster. When road conditions get too bad, "get off the road and be done with it. Customers would rather see us a little late delivering than see their freight in the median." Mark Tricco has been with Bison Transport since 1996. The Truckload Carriers Association named Bison the Best Fleet to Drive For this year and in 2014 in the large carrier division. Bison has been a finalist six times in the award's eight-year history, as well as a frequent winner in TCA's National Fleet Safety Awards.