Table of Contents
Trip Purpose
Your trip purpose is the main reason you take a journey. Recording it clearly—what you did, where you went, and why—is required for an IRS-compliant mileage log.
Understanding Trip Purpose
Think about why you’re traveling. Is it for work, leisure, to see family, or to run errands? That reason is your trip purpose.
Tax & Expense Tracking: Employers and the IRS require a clear business justification for each mileage deduction.
Data & Planning: Transportation planners use trip-purpose data to improve routes and services.
Common Trip Purposes
Commuting
Travel between home and your regular workplace (not deductible).Business Travel
Trips for work beyond your usual commute—client meetings, conferences, site visits.Leisure Travel
Vacations, day trips, or any non-work enjoyment.Visiting Friends or Family
Personal, nondeductible travel to see loved ones.Shopping & Errands
Grocery runs, post office visits, and similar tasks.Medical Appointments
Doctor visits, therapy sessions, or picking up prescriptions.Events
Weddings, funerals, concerts, and other special occasions.Other
Voting, volunteering, or unique one-off reasons.
FAQ
What is a trip purpose?
Your trip purpose is the reason for your journey—work, personal, or medical mileage—documented to justify mileage claims and satisfy IRS requirements.
Why is documenting trip purpose important?
The IRS mandates a business reason for each deductible trip. Clear trip purposes (e.g. real estate showing for potential buyers) help you maximize deductions and protect you in an audit.
How do I record trip purposes in MileageWise
MileageWise prompts you to tag each trip to a new destination with a purpose when reviewing your log—choose from preset categories or enter a custom description for complete, compliant records. While apps like Stride or MileIQ require you to categorize each trip, MileageWise remembers the purpose you assigned to a client, saving you time.
Try MileageWise for free for 14 days. No credit card required!
Automatic Mileage Tracker App
AI Logs & Google Timeline Import
Related Terms
SherpaShare Shutdown – What To Do Now?
Last Updated: October 7, 2025 SherpaShare was a service designed primarily for people who work as independent contractors, particularly those in the ride-sharing and delivery
Gas Mileage Tracker: Your Key to Savings
Last Updated: August 8, 2025 A gas mileage tracker helps drivers watch their vehicle’s fuel use, mileage, and related costs. You might want one to
How To Track Miles on iPhone: Find your Match
Last Updated: August 6, 2025 Looking to track miles on your iPhone? Whether it’s for fitness, personal use, or business tax deductions, your iPhone offers
Car Depreciation Calculator for Taxes: Free Tool & Guide
If you drive your personal vehicle for business, you’re missing out if you don’t track depreciation. The IRS lets you deduct car depreciation if you
1099 Tax Calculator: Easily Calculate Self-Employment Taxes
April 29, 2025 Are you a freelancer or independent contractor? Do you get paid with a 1099 form? Then you need a 1099 tax calculator!
Was Your Google Timeline Deleted? Here’s What Happened:
If you recently opened Google Maps and noticed your Timeline was deleted or partially missing, you’re not alone. In this post, we’ll break down what
Related Guides
It’s Finally Here! Google Maps Timeline Import from Mobiles
Transform your Trip Lists into Mileage Logs with MileageWise
SherpaShare Shutdown – What To Do Now?
Last Updated: October 7, 2025 SherpaShare was a service designed primarily for people who work as independent contractors, particularly those in the ride-sharing and delivery
Gas Mileage Tracker: Your Key to Savings
Last Updated: August 8, 2025 A gas mileage tracker helps drivers watch their vehicle’s fuel use, mileage, and related costs. You might want one to
How To Track Miles on iPhone: Find your Match
Last Updated: August 6, 2025 Looking to track miles on your iPhone? Whether it’s for fitness, personal use, or business tax deductions, your iPhone offers
Car Depreciation Calculator for Taxes: Free Tool & Guide
If you drive your personal vehicle for business, you’re missing out if you don’t track depreciation. The IRS lets you deduct car depreciation if you
1099 Tax Calculator: Easily Calculate Self-Employment Taxes
April 29, 2025 Are you a freelancer or independent contractor? Do you get paid with a 1099 form? Then you need a 1099 tax calculator!
Was Your Google Timeline Deleted? Here’s What Happened:
If you recently opened Google Maps and noticed your Timeline was deleted or partially missing, you’re not alone. In this post, we’ll break down what
Was Your Google Timeline Deleted? Here’s What Happened:
If you recently opened Google Maps and noticed your Timeline was deleted or partially missing, you’re not alone. In this post, we’ll break down what
It’s Finally Here! Google Maps Timeline Import from Mobiles
Struggling to Manage Your Trips After Google’s Timeline Update? If you’re reading this, you’ve likely encountered the recent update affecting Google Maps Timeline. With Timeline
Transform your Trip Lists into Mileage Logs with MileageWise
Last Updated: October 1, 2025 Do you have a list of monthly trips from a data source like Excel or Google Timeline, but need to
How to Download Google Timeline Data: A Guide
Google Timeline Import Hub Try MileageWise for free for 14 days! START ON WEB Last Updated: October 30, 2025 Want to download Google Timeline data?
How to Export Google Maps Timeline: Get Your Data
Mileage Log Generator Guide Try MileageWise for free for 14 days! START ON WEB Last Updated: October 29, 2025 It can be tricky to export
Google Maps Mileage Tracker: From Timeline to Mileage Log
Google Timeline Import Hub Try MileageWise for free for 14 days! START ON WEB Last Updated: October 29, 2025 If you’re an active user of
Google Maps Timeline (Location History)
Table of Contents What is Google Maps Timeline (Location History)? Google Maps Timeline is a private history of the routes you travel and the places
Google Maps
Table of Contents What is Google Maps? Google Maps is Google’s web and mobile mapping service used for navigation, trip planning, and discovering places. It
Google Driving History: View Past Trips and Save on Taxes
Google Timeline Import Hub Try MileageWise for free for 14 days! START ON WEB August 13, 2025 Google driving history primarily refers to the travel
