Total Insight Professional Services

Running a heavy truck through New Mexico? There's a state tax that catches a lot of carriers off guard, and it has nothing to do with fuel.

If your truck is over 26,000 lbs and it touches New Mexico roads, you need a weight distance permit. Two things people get wrong:

🚛 It applies even if you're just passing through on I-40 or I-10. No pickup or delivery needed.
🚛 You file every quarter, even quarters where you drove zero miles in the state.

And no, it's not covered by your IFTA license or your IRP plate. It's its own thing.
We register your trucks with New Mexico and can handle the quarterly filings so a missed deadline never stalls your permit.

Full breakdown here 👉 https://tiproservices.com/articles/new-mexico-weight-distance-permit

Heavy truck running through Kentucky? If you're over 60,000 lbs, you owe a mileage tax called KYU, even if you're just passing through.

Learn more about the Kentucky requirement and how TIPS can obtain your KYU number and file the quarterly reports for you.

KYU Number Guide | Kentucky Weight Distance Tax | TIPS What is a KYU number? Learn who needs Kentucky's Weight Distance Tax license, what it costs, and how TIPS handles it so you can focus on other things.

If you run a heavy truck through New York, there's a state tax most carriers find out about the hard way.

It's called the New York Highway Use Tax (NY HUT), and it applies to any truck or tractor over 18,000 lbs that touches a New York public highway. That includes trucks just passing through on I-90 with no stops, no pickups, and no deliveries.

Skip it and you're looking at fines, a suspended certificate, and a DMV block on your registration renewals.

We put together a breakdown covering who needs it, how to register, when reports are due. Read it now: https://tiproservices.com/articles/ny-hut-explained

Missing MVRs are the most cited driver qualification violation in FMCSA audits. More than 6,400 violations have been written in the past 5 years, each carrying a maximum penalty of $1,584 per day.

If you hire commercial drivers, you need to pull a Motor Vehicle Record before they start and every 12 months after. CDL drivers also need a CDLIS report to confirm they only hold one CDL and to find license history in other states.
We pull both. MVR only: $35. MVR + CDLIS: $45. Most records back in 1-2 business days, all 50 states.

Full breakdown of when, why, and what's at stake: https://tiproservices.com/articles/mvr-cdlis-reports-trucking

TIPS has moved!

Thank you for your patience over the last few weeks - we know you've been missing the regular updates and educational content. We're all settled in and ready to get back into the driver's seat!

If you're in the Treasure Valley, or just passing through the Boise, Idaho area - come by and see us! You can find us at 8382 W Ustick Rd Suite 100, Boise, Idaho 83704.

We're in the office Monday through Friday, 6:00am to 3:00pm MST. We'd love to meet with you, answer your questions, and show you what it's like to work with TIPS.

Thank you, stay tuned for new content coming soon!

Driving across state lines or dealing with interstate cargo? You need to file your UCR.

UCR (Unified Carrier Registration) is a yearly federal registration for interstate motor carriers, brokers, freight forwarders, and leasing companies. If you don't have it, you can get fined $100 to $5,000 at a weigh station. Some states will hold your truck until you file on the spot.

Don't wait until you're sitting at a scale. Get it done now.

Learn more or file yours today:

UCR Registration Filing & Fee Guide | TIPS Learn who needs UCR, what it costs, and how to file. See the 2026 fee brackets and avoid fines. TIPS offers the lowest third-party UCR filing available.

If you drive a truck that needs a CDL, you need a drug and alcohol testing program. It does not matter if you run interstate or local, for-hire or private. All 50 states follow the same rule.

A lot of new carriers think this only applies to big fleets or interstate operations. That is wrong. Even a single owner-operator running local routes needs to be enrolled.

We broke down the six types of required tests, what the DOT screens for, and why most small carriers use a consortium instead of trying to do it themselves.

Read the full guide 👇

DOT Drug & Alcohol Testing Rules for CMV Drivers | TIPS Learn who must comply with DOT drug and alcohol testing, the six types of required tests, and how to choose a C/TPA or set up a compliant program for your CDL drivers.