The “standard mileage rate” for the business use of a car is 70 cents per mile in 2025. Whether your vehicle is electric, hybrid electric, gasoline or diesel-powered, this rate applies.
This is the most comprehensive mileage form for gig drivers.
Order the pdf file, then easily and quickly have copies made at a printer, like your nearest Fedex Office.
1. Manually document your mileage and get operational detail.
2. Safeguard your extremely important mileage deduction.
3. Save really big when it comes to tax time.
4. Be well-prepared to defend your deduction in case of audit.
NOTE FROM AUTHOR: My mileage deduction on my 2023 federal tax return was more than $19,000, because I did quite a lot of deliveries.
I have a contrarian point of view when it comes to documenting business-related miles, which is… I don’t trust mileage tracking apps and I believe the old fashioned pen and paper method is superior.
Too many things have gone wrong with mileage tracking apps. The standard mileage rate deduction is just too valuable and too important to trust with an app.
Networks go down. Updates to apps can make things wonky. And cyber attacks happen, even to the biggest companies, including ransomware attacks.
Will a mileage tracking app company pay a multi-million dollar ransom? How long will the app be down while they attempt to lower the ransom? Or will your data simply be lost forever?
I don’t have that risk because I’m not exposed to it.
I use my own forms and I snap digital images of them so that I have back-ups.
And if I ever get audited by the IRS, I am very prepared to defend my mileage deduction.
By this point in modern times all software should be 100% bulletproof. But this is simply not the case. The criminals working the dark side of the web will never stop. They are clever and creative. All your data could be lost when you use a mileage tracking app.
These apps are enthusiastically promoted by many internet influencers for the affiliate income they stand to make off them.
If you investigate the app reviews, take a look at what their unhappy customers have to say. I think this will convince you the risk is just too great for this enormously important accounting of your mileage.
How to use the mileage form…
A
When doing so much driving, it is imperative that you regularly check your oil level.
After refueling, write your odometer reading above “Oil Checked,” and check the little box after verifying that your oil level is topped off.
Notes for the less mechanically inclined:
Your engine should not be running when checking the oil level.
Be sure you are checking your oil when the car is level, not on a hill.
The oil you put into the engine should be the same grade of oil recommended by the manufacturer in your owner’s manual.
And you should be careful not to overfill it.
B
You are filling your tank to the first click of the pump, right? Because you’re not going to get accurate miles per gallon and cost per mile information without filling the tank.
Subtract today’s odometer reading from the odometer reading at your last fill-up. Then write the number in the “Miles Since Last Fill-Up” section above “Cost Per Mile.”
C
Divide “Miles Since Last Fill-Up” by “Gallon Quantity.” That’s your miles per gallon.
Example: You drove 277 miles since your last fill-up. And your tank just took 11.056 gallons of gasoline.
Here’s the math: 277 ÷ 11.056 = 25.05 miles per gallon.
D
Now that you know your miles per gallon, let’s figure out your cost per mile.
Let’s imagine your gasoline cost was $3.599 per gallon. Notice that extra 9. The price at the pump appears to be $3.59, but it is actually much closer to $3.60.
The math formula is: 3.599 ÷ 25.05 = .14367
The cost per mile in this scenario is 14.4 cents. Write that figure where the “D” is.
E
Before you begin your trip, write down the day, date, time, the purpose of the trip in the “Activity” column and also the “odometer start” figure. It takes just a few seconds.
When the trip or delivery activity ends, write down the time again and the “odometer end” figure. And write the “Total Miles” of this trip where you see the red “E”.
Also, in the “Trip Category” column, “B” stands for business miles. “P” stands for personal miles. And “C” stands for commute miles.
For IRS purposes, commute miles would be your regular drive to and from your shop or office, which would not be tax deductible. But then any business related trips from your business location would be tax deductible.
For me, and probably you too, I don’t have a commute. My home is my office, and I fire up the apps in my driveway. For definitive information about what you can deduct with a car, take a look at IRS Publication 463.
For us, generally, it’s either actual vehicle expenses OR the standard mileage deduction. You can’t do both.
In my opinion, the standard mileage rate is generous and simple. I use the standard mileage method instead of actual vehicle expenses.
You write entries FOR EVERY TRIP, whether it is a business related trip or personal miles or “commute miles.”
Document EVERYTHING.
I made some changes recently to the form…
Here they are:
CASH TIPS
EARNINGS AFC
HOURLY RATE AFC
Why include a cash tips column? Because if you don’t declare some cash tips I think the artificial intelligence systems at the IRS may interpret that as an indication of deceit, which could trigger a closer look at your tax return.
Sure, cash tips are kind of rare, but I still get them. I imagine I am not unique in this way.
An audit by an agent of the IRS would be a tremendous hassle.
I advocate being honest about your cash tips to lessen the chances of an audit. Times have changed. Expect them to use artificial intelligence to sift out likely tax cheaters. Cheating on taxes is not worth it.
What is EARNINGS AFC and HOURLY RATE AFC? “AFC” is an abbreviation for “AFTER FUEL COST.”
You don’t have to fill-out every column, but if you want to track what you are making after fuel costs, those columns are there for you.
The “GROSS EARNINGS” column represents the entire amount of revenue you generated from all sources for your shift, including whatever cash tips you received.
The CASH TIPS column is merely meant to show whether cash tips happened during the shift and what your cash tips amounted to.
The CASH TIPS column will show any potential IRS or state income tax auditor that you track your cash tips and are including them in your income reporting. This will be an indicator that you are an organized, honest and fair tax payer, which I believe will improve your chances of a fair outcome.
Calculating:
“TODAY’S FUEL COST…”
You figure out your miles per gallon and put it in “C,” as explained above. Then you simply multiply the miles you drove that day for business-related purposes (E) with your MPG figure (C) and there is the actual amount you spent on fuel to make your money which goes in this blue column (TODAY’S FUEL COST):
There were many versions of this form over my 2½+ years of “dashing.”
I kept improving it.
I’ve reached a point where I am satisfied with it, and I really like the level of operational detail I can get with it.
I believe you will find this form very useful as well.
Finally, I just want to add… if you are purchasing my form file — I really appreciate your support.
With this little venture of mine, I put a lot of thought into everything. And I am very grateful to everyone in the gig community who either buys the pdf file, spreads positive word-of-mouth about it, or does anything to give my little venture any sort of boost.
Thank you very much!
Ed
Bonus Forms!
As an additional “thank you” for purchasing my Big Mileage Form,” I’ve got some extras for you…
Three very useful bonus forms:
Hourly Rate Computation Table (11 x 17 inches)
Minute Conversion Tables (8½ x 11 inches)
Post Shift Order Analysis Form (8½ x 14 inches)
Quickly size-up the value of delivery opportunities as they are offered to you using the “Hourly Rate Computation Table.” Or tally up your time investment in an order and see what your approximate effectively hourly pay was with that order. The Hourly Rate Computation Table is an excellent learning tool for beginning and novice gig drivers.
Use the “Minute Conversion Tables” to precisely calculate your effective hourly rate, whether for a single delivery or for your entire shift. I use this form all the time.
The “Post Shift Order Analysis Form” helps beginning and novice gig drivers to understand where they made good choices and where mistakes were made when it comes to accepting order opportunities. Using this form when you are new or still a rookie is a helpful exercise. Leads you to improving your gig work strategies.
Purchase my Big Mileage Form and I will immediately send you a link to download these extra forms for free.
It’s a great deal!
One more bonus for you…
This ebook contains my thoughts on the tipping situation and how drivers can unblock what is standing in the way when it comes to post-delivery bonus tipping.
It’s included when you purchase my “big mileage form” pdf file.
The 2024 standard mileage deduction is 67 cents per mile for the business use of your vehicle.
It is an enormously important tax deduction for gig drivers.
Step 1: Instantly download the pdf file ($20).
Step 2: Order copies online immediately through your nearest Fedex Office store, or wherever.
(For clarity: actual paper copies not included in your form file purchase.)
Every mile counts! At 67 cents per mile, it adds up quickly. But it must be documented daily.
Equipping your delivery operation with this form is the smart move.
And don’t forget to print-out receipts for this pdf file and your copies.
Those are tax deductible expenses too!
Put those receipts in a receipt box. Don’t lose them.