CoViD19 Trucking help as things unfold.

[Chamberpains]

Current as of 3/21/2020
PennLive article https://www.pennlive.com/coronavirus/202...anged.html
Here is the direct link https://go.skimresources.com/?id=109350X...mp%401.0.3 to the list of businesses Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf issued can and can't operate. Its very vague and none of us know for sure how to react. The best policy for now is to call and confirm everything. I'm pick aluminum up in Baltimore monday and delivering to a plant in central PA that is confirmed as of Friday 5pm. But we're taking that situation as fluid and may change.

Dont get caught under a load you cant deliver. You may be stuck with it till this thing is over. Which no one at this time knows. It's all speculation but 2 weeks minimum at this point.

[Chamberpains]

Trucking up here in the N.E. has been a blast and the easiest of my 15 years of doing it. Traffic every where up here is fantastically light at all times. Shippers and receivers are on top of doing their jobs and are quick at loading and unloading. So if your still doing business up here. It's going smooth. With minor manageable hiccups.

Businesses are requiring extra paperwork and security to "screen" drivers for the virus. The screening is dumb and another pointless interaction but everyone I've ran into is doing it. Carry your own pen in your pocket at all times so you dont have to touch the community pen they hand you. I wish they would switch over to verbal questions to do their screening. But for now the Lawyers saw fit to make us interact and touch more stuff with more people.

They've also closed a lot of their restrooms to us driver. "Employees only" right now. Be prepared to take care of your bodily functions before getting to places. Like at the gas stations, truckstops, open rest areas or just be prepared to do what you have to in the truck. I know its gross but they "dumped" a bad situation on us and the last thing you want is a confrontation while you "got to go".... yup, you read that right. I went there. All puns intended.

Stay calm and flexible as you can out here. Everyone still needs goods trucked in and out.

[JimT]

Another bright side, Tax Day (in the US) has been rescheduled to July 15th this year. For both filing AND payment

[Lonestar10]

Already got mine done for personal and business getting a 1400ish return nothing owed guess all the parts I replaced paid off instead of buying a new piece of equipment

[Rawze]

(03-21-2020 )JimT Wrote:  Another bright side, Tax Day (in the US) has been rescheduled to July 15th this year. For both filing AND payment

Still a person cannot get lazy. Taxes still have to be done before apr.15'th due to state tax requirements.

- State taxes still have to be filed and paid, processed etc.

Some States are crying hard against the fed. delay and saying they will go broke and not be able to pay salaries out, etc. even without the delays.

I see them using this to collect fines., etc. to make up for the shortfalls for those who do not file state taxes on time.

just my own thoughts anyways. Each person needs to see what their state tax requirements are.

[Chamberpains]

I wouldn't say this is exactly true Rawze. As states shutdown business, these states are responding with changing deadlines and forgiveness on taxes. This is gonna be an evolving situation. In Pennsylvania we can't even get our taxes done. Governors order that legal and tax businesses are shutdown.

As far as federal I found this article full of info to clear some current things up. Current as of 3/19/2020 but I foresee this info changing.

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/the-irs...2020-03-19

[JimT]

If this these large scale shutdowns in places like NY, CT, MA, PA, IL and CA continue for long periods of time and/or spread to many more states, then taxes will be the last thing most people worry about. I know many banks and credit cards have said they will work with people affected by Covid-19, but with long term effects even temporary relief might not be enough. Imagine businesses being ordered to shut down yet still needing to come up with large amounts of money to pay wages and bills. Here's nice example. Short term it might be doable, but if this stretches in to weeks/months then there will be some major economic repercussions. Trucking should be mostly OK. Some companies will struggle, but I think for the most part trucking will come out very strong as things clear up. Whenever that is.

My personal opinion is that we are making the situation worse by attempting to mass quarantine. The virus will still spread to a large portion of the population, only with the quarantine effort it will drag out longer. I realize that is the intent, so that medical providers are not swamped with more patients than they can handle, thereby allowing better care for every person. But at the same token the longer it takes to spread through the population, the longer these extreme measures will be in effect, in turn creating the potential for more extreme economic and social consequences.

--------------------

As for the States that don't adjust their tax deadlines the solution is simple, file an extension. This can usually be done online either directly by a person or by a simple efile process done by a preparer, possibly from the comfort of their quarantined home. Yes, I know that an extension to file is not an extension to pay. However it's still an option, especially for those people that may not have much choice due to the ever changing local restrictions.

[hhow55]

https://www.consumerreports.org/cars-how...VVf36NFI8c

[Chamberpains]

JimT, the point of this thread is for information on what the guys out on the road are running into. Last I saw your still out there and I'm watching and learning from the info your posting. It is very valuable. Please keep the discussion to real problems and situations we're currently seeing with trucking and handling all of this. Watch going off on speculation and opinion of this mess and the outfall. (I'd love to get in to that conversation with you) but It will just derail and blur the actual information that's useful.

On taxes, my point of view is if you want to use your forced down time usefully, have your numbers and paperwork done. Get it out of the way. Don't give "the man" a reason or excuse to bind you up with tax burden. This time should be used to get ahead of things. But there are extensions that can be filed. Use them if its needed or it's going to better your situation. Don't use them is your just being lazy.

While I'm at trying to get people ahead of the game and taking advantage of this golden opportunity...

Hopefully guys that are stuck in this mess at home with there equipment are using this time to make their situations better. Hopefully they are taking down time to do much needed repairs. If your stuck inside, maybe you can take time to learn, take yourself back to what I've called O/O college. Maybe figure out Insite, Calterm and other diagnostic programs. Learn how things on your equipment work, reading and figuring out some of these more complex things Rawze discusses http://rawze.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?fid=38 . This is a terrific opportunity, while your not stuck behind the wheel, to learn something new in your business to make your position in trucking stronger. Use this time to get ahead of things. The people that use opportunities like these to their advantage are always the most successful. Why not use the opportunity to join that club.

As far as the states that are shutdown (I can only verify Pennsylvania policy) under the order to shutdown and stay at home, life sustaining businesses are still operational. This includes mechanic and mechanical parts sales. With the down time, guys can run out and get parts. Do those repairs that you've been putting off.

I see this as a life changing moment. Why not use this time to change you position in life to be easier for the foreseeable future, if not for the rest of your life?