Transportation and Travel costs for a sole proprietor

[stephaniehouten]

Where would I enter these types of expenses as an independent contractor, who works from home and does not have a single/consistent place of work? (When I travel for work, it is almost always a different location).

-Ubers/lyfts to and from a gig/meeting

-Public transit costs to and from a gig/meeting

-Gas/vehicle expenses to and from a gig/meeting

If you don't have a single/consistent place of work, are these considered business travel costs rather than transportation costs (does transportation mean commuting?)

[AliciaP1]

Generally, these would be labeled as Travel costs, but these types of expenses can be categorized either way.

See What self-employed expenses can I deduct? for more information on business expenses.

[stephaniehouten]

That's interesting - I was under the impression that business travel expenses were for overnight business trips only. 

[DianeW777]

Not necessarily. You can also use the 'Other Expenses' category for taxi or shuttle service.  The expense for 'Car and Truck' are specifically for automobiles you lease or own.

Transportation does not mean commuting although it is usually part of the expense noted above.  Commuting comes into play when you go to and from the same business work station each day whether you are self employed or an employee.

[eddiehr22]

What if you have multiple places of business but none are daily?  For a contract/1099 based yoga teacher that teaches at various studio locations, often multiple different locations in the same day, would ubers or public transit fees be deductible?  

[Vanessa A]

Yes, if you need to visit multiple locations for your business then the uber or public transit fees would be deductible from your main place of business to the various locations and from location to location.