# Didn't Track Detailed Mileage, need help



## Italnstallion99 (Sep 5, 2015)

Hi Everyone,

I have been driving since September for both uber and lyft. I think I made a boo boo here by not tracking detailed mileage and I am sure what to do here going forward.

The way I have been tracking it is by resetting my odometer every time I start driving. At the end of the night I would take a picture of my miles driven and put that in an excel spreadsheet. I was not calculating actual odometer readings, or cities driven in only the amount of miles driven that particular day.

Do I need to somehow try and retrace my steps and figure out a way to put more detailed information in for this? I also am need of advice on what to do going forward.

I read somewhere in case of an audit the IRS would want a detailed mileage log, so i am thinking dates with the amount of miles driven would not be sufficient enough.

Please help

Thanks


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## UberTaxPro (Oct 3, 2014)

Italnstallion99 said:


> Hi Everyone,
> 
> I have been driving since September for both uber and lyft. I think I made a boo boo here by not tracking detailed mileage and I am sure what to do here going forward.
> 
> ...


You say you reset your odometer. The odometer shows total miles on your car and can't be reset. I think you're referring to trip meter? Do your pics of the trip meter include the odometer(total mileage) and are they dated? Starting today you should keep contemporaneous (every day) records keeping track of starting mileage, ending mileage and date every time you go out to rideshare. There's tons of phone apps to help with this or you can keep using excel or pen and paper.


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## Italnstallion99 (Sep 5, 2015)

Yes I did mean the trip meter, not the odometer. Unfortunately I only have pics of the trip meter reading total mileage including dates for times I have driven for rideshare. but that's it (no odometer reading).

Starting today I know I will need to keep a more detailed log. Do I need keep a list of each city I drive to, or is the odometer reading with starting/ending mileage sufficient enough with the dates?

As far as phone apps, I was using mileiq and might even purchase the unlimited ride portion. I will take a look and see if I can find some app that might do odometer readings as well, I don't think mileiq does that

Thanks


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## UberTaxPro (Oct 3, 2014)

The odometer reading with starting/ending mileage with the dates backed up by Uber(assuming you drive for uber)trip records and pay statements is what I keep. It might be good to download copies of the Uber records because Uber could deny you access to your account someday. Since you have the trip log pics you could probably recreate/estimate your log for the previous dates. Be sure to account for any personal miles. It's possible but unusual for someone to use their car for 100% business.


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