Sending Out an SOS – Don’t Let An Audit Sink You - It was a 105 years ago that the RMS Titanic struck an iceberg and sank in the North Atlantic, sending more than 1,500 people to their doom. The ship was state-of-the-art at the time, with a double bottom and 15 watertight compartments. But we all know how […] Change For The Better - The term “change management” sounds menacing but in fact we manage change every day. Maybe your regular route to work is blocked by construction. It’s a pain, but you find a new way and, as it happens, there’s less traffic and you get there faster. When IFTA […] Navigating the ELD Maze - Mazes have a history that spans thousands of years. They can be a convoluted entanglement of hedges, corn, wood, or mirrors. Or they can be made of the regulations FMCSA created on the use of electronic logging devices. As the deadline for ELD compliance approaches, the array […] 2 Ways IRP Will Change in 2015 - Every year it seems like there’s a new acronym to add to the alphabet soup of fuel tax and licensing rules. The one to know for 2015? FRP. FRP stands for Full Reciprocity Plan, an agreement among IRP jurisdictions starting Jan. 1, 2015. For existing fleets licensed […] Good Housekeeping: Compile IRP Distance Records Now - August is a great time to make sure you have accurate and complete distance records for the previous IRP reporting period (from July 1 to June 30 of the preceding year). Here are some things to keep in mind: 1. Capture all distance You’re required to report […] HVUT Deadline: Sept. 2 - Heavy Vehicle Use Tax (HVUT) is an annual tax on vehicles operating on U.S. highways at a registered gross weight equal to or exceeding 55,000 pounds. You have to file a tax return (IRS Form 2290, Schedule 1) and payment for the month your vehicle is first […] The 3 C’s: What to Tell Your Accountant About IRP - Vehicle registration fees are a cost of doing business. But it’s a cost you can manage when you join a prorate program. If you need a reminder why you should keep your accountant in the loop when register vehicles under the International Registration Plan (IRP), remember these […] Ontario to Increase Registration Fees - The Province of Ontario has approved regulatory amendments to increase its vehicle registration fees. Bus registration fees will be effective on Nov. 1, 2014, and commercial vehicle registration fees will be effective on Dec. 1, 2014. For information, contact the Ministry of Transportation’s IRP Program Office at […] Why You Need an IFTA/IRP Point Man - You can hire a service bureau to shoulder the work that comes with fuel tax and vehicle registration, but it’s a mistake to think that your responsibility ends there. A service bureau can stay on top of government policies and procedures, but it’s not involved in your […] Next IFTA/IRP Workshop: May 21 in Lethbridge - Sandy Johnson of North Star Fleet Solutions will present a workshop in Lethbridge on May 21 covering the “The Hidden Cost of Trip Permits,” with strategies to help truck fleets manage vehicle tax, fuel tax, and licensing. Hosted by the Alberta Motor Transport Association (AMTA), the workshop is […] B.C. Issues Correction to MJV Tax Rate - British Columbia has issued a correction to the percentage-factor on its chart of multi-jurisdictional vehicle (MJV) tax rates. The prior factor reflected two decimal points; however, B.C.’s system records five decimal points. While this error was discovered and posted at the International Registration Plan (IRP) web site […] See Sandy May 13 in Medicine Hat - Sandy Johnson of North Star Fleet Solutions is presenting a workshop in Medicine Hat tomorrow, May 13, on the “The Hidden Cost of Trip Permits,” with strategies to help multi-jurisdictional truck fleets manage vehicle tax, fuel tax, and licensing. Learn how to improve compliance and reduce the […] IRP FeeCalc: An Easy Way to Calculate IRP Fees - IRP FeeCalc is a simple, intuitive online tool for estimating vehicle registration fees under the International Registration Plan. Developed for over-the-road fleet managers and administrators, IRP FeeCalc puts everything you need to manage IRP and fees into one app: you can create fleets, establish a base jurisdiction, […] IFTA/IRP Workshop May 13 in Medicine Hat - Sandy Johnson of North Star Fleet Solutions will present a workshop in Medicine Hat on May 13 on the “The Hidden Cost of Trip Permits,” with strategies to help multi-jurisdictional truck fleets manage vehicle tax, fuel tax, and licensing. Hosted by the Alberta Motor Transport Association (AMTA), the […] IFTA 1st Quarter Filing Deadline: April 30 - This Wednesday, April 30, is the deadline to file your IFTA tax return for the 1st quarter of 2014. All IFTA returns must be filed online and any amounts due must be paid by midnight on the due date to be considered timely. Postmark is the most […] IRP FAQ: Do I have to register my truck under IRP? - IRP requires the registration of “apportioned vehicles.” IRP defines an apportionable vehicle as any power unit that meets three conditions: It is used or intended for use in two or more IRP-member jurisdictions (the 48 contiguous U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and 10 Canadian provinces). It’s […] Saskatchewan Increases GVWs for B-trains, tridem tractors - Here’s some good news if you are a carrier that travels in Saskatchewan. Truck News is reporting that the Government of Saskatchewan enacted new vehicle size-and-weight regulations on April 1. The report said that the rules, which have yet to be officially published in Hansard and made available to the […] Alberta: Discontinue Breakdown Permits - Effective April 1, 2014 Alberta is discontinuing the use of the Breakdown Permits. If a replacement vehicle is required for a broken down Prorate unit there are three options: Add a replacement vehicle to the Prorate fleet, or Trip permit a full plated vehicle, or Rent a […] IFTA Compliance for CNG-Fueled Vehicles - If you use compressed natural gas (CNG) in IFTA-licensed vehicles, you know how complicated fuel tax reporting can be. CNG is typically measured as a gas (cubic feet or cubic meters) while diesel and other taxable fuels are measured in gallons or liters. Gas-to-liquid conversion rates vary […] Customer Views
For some 25 years drivers, owners and managers have chosen North Star. We’ve learned a lot about every segment of the trucking industry. We’ve worked with every size and type of company from owner-operators to oilfield services operations.
“North Star does it all for me leaving me on the road and worry-free.”
-Owner Operator
“We leave the complicated prorate licensing up to North Star’s staff. They really help us.”
-Oilfield Services Administrator
“North Star works with me and my staff the way we like. We use their on-line resources and their people in a way that suits us.”
-Fleet Owner
“I have more things to worry about than a bad IFTA audit or my trucks stopped at a scale. North Star makes sure we are compliant. They’ve saved us a lot of time and money over the years.”
-Agricultural Fleet Manager
“North Star gets me information necessary for accurate financial reporting and cost management.”
-Accountant
