The per diem deduction lets owner-operator truck drivers deduct a standard daily rate for meals while away from home for work, without needing to track and save every individual food receipt from the road. Rather than adding up actual meal costs, the IRS allows truckers to use a flat per diem rate for each full day (and a partial rate for partial days) spent away from their tax home for work. This is one of the most valuable deductions for long-haul drivers simply because of

Owner-operator truck drivers can deduct nearly every cost tied to running their truck as a business — fuel, maintenance, insurance, and even a daily per diem for meals while on the road — which makes trucking one of the deduction-heaviest 1099 occupations. Because you own or lease the truck itself, your deductions go well beyond what a company driver could claim. Fuel is usually the single largest expense, followed by maintenance and repairs, which can add up quickly given ho