The IRS allows self-employed drivers and owner-operators to deduct certain costs under the category of “travel expenses.”
These include a per diem for meals, plus accommodations, tolls, and parking. For 2019, the per diem rate is 80 percent of $66 per day.
If you are an employee driver, you are not eligible for per diem deduction as they are job-related expenses. Under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, the itemized deductions for job-related expenses subject to the 2% of AGI floor are suspended for expenses incurred after December 31, 2017 through 2025.