BAS and bookkeeping for truck owner-drivers, without the Sunday-night spreadsheet
An owner-driver’s bank statement is diesel in four-figure amounts, a truck repayment that does not care whether the work came in, tyres, a gearbox rebuild that arrived the week before the BAS, tolls, registration and insurance that would buy a small car, and remittances from a prime contractor that have already had the fuel levy adjusted and sometimes the insurance deducted. The GST is on most of it, the fuel tax credit is on some of it, and the ATO expects both figures on the same BAS every quarter.
FlowFi reads the statement you already have, sorts fuel from repairs from finance, works out the GST on the running costs, and builds the quarter’s BAS. You check the figures, add the fuel tax credit you have worked out from your litres, copy the labels into ATO Online, and get back on the road.
General information only, not tax advice. Check your own situation with a registered tax agent or the ATO.
What FlowFi does for truck owner-drivers
Sorts fuel from every other running cost
Diesel, AdBlue, tyres, servicing, repairs and tolls each land in their own category, so the quarter’s fuel spend is easy to find when you work out the fuel tax credit, and the repair bills are visible against the income of the same period.
Works out GST on the costs that carry it
Fuel, tyres, parts, tolls and insurance premiums carry GST; the interest in your truck finance repayment, registration and the stamp duty on insurance do not. FlowFi flags what has GST so 1B is built from real lines, not a flat one eleventh of everything.
Keeps prime contractor remittances readable
A remittance that arrives net of insurance, fuel levy adjustments or a hire deduction is still gross income with expenses taken out. FlowFi records the deposit and keeps the payer on the line, so you can reconcile it against the recipient created tax invoice or remittance advice.
Invoices for ad hoc and subcontract work
Send an invoice from the cab at the end of a job, with the GST and your payment terms on it, and let the automatic reminders chase the freight broker who pays at 60 days.
Builds your BAS from the bank statement
Upload the quarter, review the pre-filled G1, 1A and 1B, add the fuel tax credit you have worked out at label 7D, and copy the labels into ATO Online. PAYG instalments sit on the same statement.
How it works
Upload your bank statement
Export a CSV or PDF from your bank (CBA, Westpac, NAB, ANZ, Macquarie and most others) and drop it into FlowFi. No bank login, ever.
AI sorts every transaction
Income, expenses, equipment and transfers are categorised, GST is worked out on each line and likely deductions are flagged for you to confirm.
Review and lodge your BAS
Check the pre-filled labels, copy them into ATO Online in about five minutes, or export the pack for your accountant. FlowFi does not lodge for you.
Common deductions for truck owner-drivers
Expenses truck owner-drivers often claim. FlowFi flags these categories as they appear in your statement so you can confirm each one.
- Fuel, oil and AdBlue, with the fuel tax credit claimed separately on the BAS for eligible heavy vehicle use
- Repairs, servicing, tyres, brakes and parts, and the labour on them
- Truck and trailer finance: the interest on a loan or chattel mortgage, or the lease payments, plus depreciation of the vehicle where you own it
- Registration, compulsory third party and comprehensive insurance, and goods in transit or public liability cover
- Tolls, parking, weighbridge fees, permits, accreditation and heavy vehicle scheme costs
- Phone, GPS and fleet apps, logbook and fatigue management tools, and a share of the home office where you do the books
- Overnight travel on line haul: accommodation, and meals when you sleep away from home, at the actual cost with receipts
- Protective clothing, hi-vis and boots, licences and medicals, and industry association or union fees
General information only, not tax advice. Check your own situation with a registered tax agent or the ATO.
Email me the quarterly BAS checklist
The checklist now, then a few short notes on getting your BAS done. No spam, unsubscribe any time.
Pricing
Flat monthly pricing. No percentage of your income, no lock-in, cancel any time. Every account starts with 14 days of Pro free, no card needed.
Pro
or $290 a year (two months free). 14-day free trial, no card.
- Unlimited transactions and uploads
- Unlimited invoices with automatic reminders
- Full AI categorisation and deduction flags
- BAS preparation with a copy-guide for ATO Online
- Receipt scanning, mileage and cash-flow forecast
- One-click accountant export
Business
or $590 a year (two months free). For anyone with a bookkeeper or partner in the books.
- Everything in Pro
- Unlimited bank accounts
- Up to 5 users with role-based access
- Advanced AI insights
- AI support and API access
Questions truck owner-drivers ask
How do fuel tax credits work for an owner-driver?
If your truck has a gross vehicle mass over 4.5 tonnes and you are registered for GST and for fuel tax credits, you can claim a credit for the fuel used in it on public roads at the heavy vehicle rate, which is the fuel excise less the road user charge, and a higher rate for fuel used off public roads or to power auxiliary equipment such as a refrigeration unit. The rates change on 1 February and 1 August, so use the ATO’s fuel tax credit calculator each quarter, keep your fuel records in litres, and put the result at label 7D on the BAS. Check the ATO for the current rates and vehicle conditions.
My prime contractor pays me after taking out insurance and fuel levies. What is my income?
The gross amount before their deductions. The remittance advice or recipient created tax invoice shows the gross freight charge, the GST on it, and each deduction. Report the gross at G1 with its GST at 1A, and claim the deductions as expenses with the GST their document shows. Reporting the net deposit understates your income and loses the credits on the deductions.
Can I claim my truck under cents per kilometre or the car limit rules?
No, and that is good news. Those rules apply to cars, which the ATO defines as vehicles designed to carry fewer than nine passengers and less than one tonne. A truck is claimed on its actual costs at the business-use percentage, which for most owner-drivers is close to 100%, and there is no car limit capping the depreciation or the GST credit on the purchase price.
When can I claim the GST on a truck bought on finance?
Under a chattel mortgage or hire purchase you own the truck from day one, so on a cash basis you claim the full GST on the purchase price in the quarter the contract starts, even though you pay it off over five years. Under a lease you claim the GST on each lease payment as you make it. Which one you have is on the finance contract, and the GST difference in the first quarter can be tens of thousands of dollars, so get it right before that BAS.
General information only, not tax advice. Check your own situation with a registered tax agent or the ATO.
Keep reading
FlowFi for related trades
Do the BAS at the depot, not at midnight
Upload one bank statement and see fuel, repairs, tolls, finance and prime contractor remittances already categorised with the GST worked out.
Start 14-day free trial14 days of Pro free. No credit card. Then $29 a month or $290 a year.