Letter to the Editor: Quarterly Payments

s a practitioner and an insurance agent who works mainly with small mom-and-pop businesses, I am opposed to the recent decision to get rid of the quarterly payment option for the heavy-vehicle use tax.

I agree with American Trucking Associations attorney Robert Pitcher that this could pose a problem for motor carriers that take advantage of this option to improve their cash-flow management. Although the percentage of our clients who take advantage of this option is very low, there are some that depend upon it.

We would be more excited to see an option for the HVUT to be transferred from one vehicle to another in the event that a carrier purchases a new truck midway through the year. This would alleviate many problems carriers face, including the double-payment concern that would also be removed from the picture.

I>Surface Transportation Board Practitioner

ixon Insurance

argo, N.D.

This letter appeared in the Nov. 1 edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.