IFTA Mileage Reports: Fixing Missing or Mismatched State Miles

Start with the reporting period and unit list

Before comparing numbers, confirm that both reports cover the same vehicles and dates. A report ending at midnight in one time zone may differ from an export using another. A truck added mid-quarter can also be missing from a saved fleet filter.

List each unit with its operating dates and source reports. If a vehicle was sold, parked, or replaced, explain that event instead of assuming the same fleet filter works every quarter.

Compare jurisdiction miles with total distance

Create a worksheet showing each vehicle's reported total, the sum of its jurisdiction miles, and the difference. Investigate units individually before combining them into the fleet total.

Hypothetical example: one export reports 8,200 total miles but assigns only 8,050 to jurisdictions. The unexplained 150 miles are a question to investigate, not an amount to place in the home state automatically. Review the trip details and report settings.

An ELD label does not answer every record question

Virginia DMV distinguishes an ELD's hours-of-service purpose from an electronic system maintaining the supporting distance information needed for IFTA and IRP. A product being called an ELD does not establish that every available report contains the required audit data.

Ask your vendor which export provides the distance details and source data needed for your base jurisdiction. Keep the original files, not only a screenshot of a fleet total.

Use a missing-mileage checklist

• Check the selected dates, time zone, and unit filters.
• Look for unassigned distance, disconnected devices, and missing trips.
• Compare trip dates, routes, and odometer readings.
• Review replacement trucks and changed unit numbers.
• Ask the vendor about duplicate or incomplete exports.
• Record the evidence supporting each correction.

Send questions with the records

Give your preparer the original export, the comparison worksheet, and a short explanation of each unresolved difference. Identify what you know and what still needs review. Do not invent routes or mileage allocations to fill a blank.

If records cannot be recovered, ask the base jurisdiction or a qualified preparer about the proper treatment. An unexplained gap should be addressed openly rather than concealed in the final spreadsheet.