# Uber Commute and Mileage Deduction



## Snwbrdguy (May 4, 2016)

I recently started driving for Uber commute. I've only picked up a couple riders here and there, but Uber currently reimburses $10 each commute if certain criteria is met. I wanted to know if I can deduct the mileage from my commute if I don't pick up any riders along the way?


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## Older Chauffeur (Oct 16, 2014)

This is a new one to me, but I would guess the IRS would see that trip by yourself as your normal commute to your regular place of employment, which is not deductible. I know you weren't asking about the commute with paying riders, but I wonder how the IRS will view that. Again, you are still commuting, but they're going to tax you on that income, one would assume. So they should let you write off the mileage.
If you were driving coworkers who gave you gas money instead of taking a turn at driving, aka a carpool, you wouldn't pay tax on the money or get a mileage deduction. Should be interesting to see how it plays out.


Snwbrdguy said:


> I recently started driving for Uber commute. I've only picked up a couple riders here and there, but Uber currently reimburses $10 each commute if certain criteria is met. I wanted to know if I can deduct the mileage from my commute if I don't pick up any riders along the way?


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## zandor (Mar 6, 2015)

It might not be taxable. If the IRS treats it like carpooling where the riders just chip in towards your expenses it wouldn't be. http://blog.credit.com/2015/05/6-carpooling-tips-for-commuters-116659/ Of course if that's the case you wouldn't get a deduction either. You could always call or email the IRS and ask.

It wouldn't surprise me if UberCommute "reimbursements" end up not being taxable. The government likes to encourage car pooling. If it's taxable now I wouldn't be surprised of congress changed that at some point in the next couple of years.


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## Chi287 (Feb 1, 2016)

I've been trying to figure this out as well. Didn't end up matching rides (not much interest for rides during rushes in the northern suburbs), but I had to have been considered "on the clock" since the offer was "be on the service and drive this many miles, get paid this." I figure for every trip I earned $10, I should be able to report 5 miles in expenses, but as noted, it's all miles that would have otherwise been to a regular job. I wasn't even thinking about it at the time, but now going through the self employment process, it'll be a couple hundred difference in a refund between reporting those miles and not. Good money, but a risk of an audit.


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## UberTaxPro (Oct 3, 2014)

Chi287 said:


> I've been trying to figure this out as well. Didn't end up matching rides (not much interest for rides during rushes in the northern suburbs), but I had to have been considered "on the clock" since the offer was "be on the service and drive this many miles, get paid this." I figure for every trip I earned $10, I should be able to report 5 miles in expenses, but as noted, it's all miles that would have otherwise been to a regular job. I wasn't even thinking about it at the time, but now going through the self employment process, it'll be a couple hundred difference in a refund between reporting those miles and not. Good money, but a risk of an audit.


Now you can see the importance of a keeping a mileage log! It's worth a lot of $.


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## Subjugator (Jun 22, 2016)

Ok, first... what in the world is this ubercommute. Second... whats with the gravedigging old threads.


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