Editorial Coverage, Video Fuels Operating Tax Systems Awareness Campaign

WACO, TX and STOW, OH, July 28, 2010 - When Operating Tax Systems’ (OTS) chief executive officer, Al Uritis, began considering an editorial campaign for his company, he and a few on his team were skeptical that the media would be interested in his niche tax service. But today, six months into the campaign, OTS and E.H. Anderson PR announce OTS’ story has indeed caught the attention of the trucking industry media.

Trucking trade publications have requested interviews or covered OTS including T3, Commercial Carrier Journal, Heavy Duty Trucking, Work Truck magazine, Fleet Owner, Inbound Logistics as well as several blogs. “And we have more to conquer on the editorial side as well as video,” said Liz Anderson, founder of E.H. Anderson PR.

OTS hired E.H. Anderson PR to lead the campaign after a Dallas-based OTS sales director learned of Liz Anderson’s media pitching skills; he recommended the agency to Uritis.

“Death and taxes are a necessary evil,” said Uritis. “However, it appears we are on the same track for editorial coverage as E.H. Anderson PR’s former funeral client, for whom the agency secured dozens of stories.”

E.H. Anderson PR led Wilkirson Hatch Bailey’s PR campaign securing the funeral home editorial coverage in funeral trade publications, major business publications such as Smart Money, Southwest Airlines in-flight magazine, Spirit and WFAA-TV Dallas.

“It took time and results to convince Al, but after we got up to speed on fuel tax, driver log auditing and the trucking trade publications, the campaign fell into place,” said Anderson.

About Operating Tax Systems
Founded in 1990 to serve the United States and Canadian trucking industries, OTS provides fuel tax, hours of service driver log auditing, licensing, permitting, tax recovery and consulting services. OTS’ exclusive RoadTax.net® service provides more than 60 management reports with unlimited customization. Whether electronic or paper-based, OTS works with any type of data saving both time and money for 70 percent of the top trucking companies.

About E.H. Anderson Public Relations
Serving organizations aiming to increase brand awareness, generate leads or strengthen credibility, E.H. Anderson PR secures news coverage for franchise and non-franchise clients who have a story to tell. Organizations chose E.H. Anderson PR over other (franchise) marketing agencies because of newsroom know-how, news reporter connections and Emmy-winning video shooting and editing. Client coverage includes "NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams,” WFAA-TV, Wired, Entrepreneur, Businessweek, Marina Dock Age, local and trade media. Visit www.ehandersonpr.com.

[Back to top]

---

 

OPERATING TAX SPECIALISTS MARK 20-YEAR ANNIVERSARY, SYSTEMS CELEBRATE 10-YEARS

STOW, OHIO, JULY 7 2010 - A decade ago when business outsourcing in the trucking industry was emerging, an established, reputable tax recovery and tax refund consulting company, Operating Tax Specialists, Inc. (OTS), recognized that some trucking customers might prefer to outsource certain business processes rather than do them themselves.

Rising and unpredictable fuel costs were top of mind, not to mention operational efficiencies. On the fuel tax side, many trucking firms paid too much, filed late and exposed themselves to audits. For hours of service (HOS), compliance, costly violations and target problem drivers were the headache. And in the area of licensing and permits mistakes due to unfamiliar states/provinces and unique cargo situations were common. OTS launched Operating Tax Systems, LLC, a technology-based company dedicated solely to the trucking industry providing fuel tax reporting, HOS driver log auditing, licensing and permitting.

“For ten years and through two recessions, Operating Tax Systems’ outsourcing services are thriving,” said Al Uritis, OTS’ chief executive officer. “Today both entities serve 70 percent of the nation’s largest trucking companies. Since we launched our tax recovery and tax refund consulting service in 1990, OTS has been laser-focused on the trucking industry, which I credit to our success.”

Quality Distribution’s bulk transportation company, Quality Carriers (QC), was one of OTS’ initial fuel tax reporting customers. In the late 1990’s after OTS had successfully completed tax recovery work for the companies, the merger of Chemical Leaman Tank Lines and Montgomery Tank Lines occurred. OTS learned the newly formed QC was using paper records. OTS explained the cost-saving benefits of electronic data and within three months, OTS migrated QC’s fuel tax reporting process to an electronic format.

"Fuel tax outsourcing with OTS has saved us many dollars over the years,” said Sue Bottorff, Quality Distribution’s manager of fuel administration. “OTS’ expertise in trucking, technology and taxes has not only reduced several taxes and fees, it has improved timeliness and accuracy of fuel tax reporting, and generally improved operations. I look forward to another decade with OTS.”

About OTS
OTS has both developed and harnessed tax and transportation management technology throughout the digital revolution, to become the preeminent provider of web-based recovery, audit, reporting and compliance information for fleet operators and motor carriers throughout the U.S. and Canada. Nearly three out of four top North American trucking companies trust OTS to lead their paperless fuel-tax compliance, HOS driver log auditing, tax recovery and tax refund efforts. Operating Tax Specialists, Inc. was founded in 1990; Operating Tax Systems, LLC was founded in 2000.

[Back to top]

---

 

UCR 2010 Fee Structure Established

The Unified Carrier Registration Agreement (UCRA) is a base-state system for registering interstate motor carriers, including private, for-hire, and exempt carriers, farmers operating in interstate commerce, and brokers, freight forwarders, and leasing companies. All of these operators must pay annual fees that are used to fund safety and enforcement programs in the participating states, as well as pay for UCR administration.

2010 Fee Structure:

No. of Power Units              Company Fee

    0 - 2                                       $76

    3 - 5                                       $227

    6 - 20                                     $452

    21 - 100                                 $1,576

    101 - 1,000                             $7,511

    1,001 and above                     $73,346

[Back to top]

---

 

New Oregon Weight-Mile Tax Rates Effective as of October 1, 2010, Oregon road-use tax rates will change. For more information on the changes, check out the info on the Oregon Motor Carrier Transportation website at Oregon MCT. Scroll to page 7 for the new rates.

[Back to top]

---

 

Western Express Switches to OTS for Fuel Tax Compliance

STOW, OHIO, April 20, 2010 - Operating Tax Systems, LLC (OTS) today announced it has been selected to handle fuel tax compliance services for Western Express' 2,500 satellite tracked power units.

Using its paperless solution, OTS will prepare Western Express' IFTA and mileage tax returns by capturing GPS data directly from the company's power units. Within 48 hours OTS will process and post the data to its versatile software system, RoadTax.net® giving Western Express Web-based access to its fuel tax reports in real time and on demand.

"The setup was quick and the transition was smooth," said Mike May, Western Express' director of fuel and toll compliance. "In switching fuel tax service providers we were delighted that no issues arose with the transfer to OTS. We expected complaints during the switch but instead, we've only heard great things about OTS."

"Western Express' decision to switch to OTS confirms the fact that trucking companies are looking for ways to manage costs and increase efficiencies," said Al Uritis, chief executive officer of OTS. "I'll put OTS' service and price up against any competitor."

Uritis believes many trucking firms turn to tax outsource suppliers to streamline the process, ensure compliance with the latest state and provincial regulations and systematize a process that many view as arduous, but can easily cost six figures upon audit if not done professionally. "The wealth of reports and automation available create a rich decision-making environment that is a value-add to the preparation of taxes themselves," he said.

About Western Express, Inc.

Western Express is an asset based truckload carrier, founded in 1991 in Nashville. In the last fifteen years the company has grown to become a large tier industry truckload carrier with 2008 annual revenue in excess of $594 million. Western Express, Inc. owns and operates approximately 2500 power units and in excess of 4500 trailers. Visit www.westernexp.com

About Operating Tax Systems

Founded in 1991 to serve the United States and Canadian trucking industries, OTS provides fuel tax, hours of service driver log auditing, licensing, permitting, tax recovery and consulting services. OTS' exclusive RoadTax.net® service provides more than 60 management reports with unlimited customization. Whether electronic or paper-based, OTS works with any type of data saving both time and money for 70 percent of the top trucking companies. Visit www.ots.net.

[Back to top]

---

 

2010 List of Trade Shows

Come see us at these industry events:

ALK Summit                                                  Princeton, NJ                 April 27-29
McLeod Software Users' Conference                Birmingham, AL              September 13-14
TMW Transforum 2010                                    Dallas, TX                      September 19-22
 

[Back to top]

---