Here's a question that separates successful e-hailing drivers from struggling ones: How much did you spend on fuel last month?
If you don't know the exact number — not a guess, not a "roughly R6,000" — you're flying blind. You might be making money. You might be losing money. You literally don't know.
Most Uber and Bolt drivers in South Africa have no idea what their actual profit is. They see money coming in from the app, they see money going out at the petrol station, and they hope there's something left at the end of the month. That's not a business. That's gambling.
Let's be honest about why this doesn't happen:
Every rand you spend on your e-hailing business falls into one of these categories. If you track nothing else, track these:
Your biggest variable cost. Track every fill-up: date, litres, amount, odometer reading. This alone tells you your cost per km.
Services, oil changes, tyres, brakes, batteries. SARS allows full deduction. Keep every invoice.
Monthly premiums are fully deductible. Track the policy number and insurer for your records.
Data costs for the Uber/Bolt app, phone calls to passengers. 100% deductible if you have a dedicated business line.
Weekly car wash is a legitimate business expense. R50-R120 per wash adds up to R2,600-R6,240/year.
Vehicle tracker subscription (R100-R200/month), vehicle licence renewal, PRDP renewal. All deductible.
e-Toll gantries, parking fees at malls and airports. Keep receipts or use your e-tag statement.
We built a free expense tracker right here on FleetCalc. No sign-up, no Google account needed — it works directly in your browser and saves your data locally.
📊 What's included:
As a self-employed e-hailing driver, you can deduct legitimate business expenses from your taxable income. Here's what's allowed:
| Expense | Deductible? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel | 100% | Must have receipts or detailed log |
| Maintenance & Repairs | 100% | Keep all invoices from mechanics |
| Insurance | 100% | Must be business-use vehicle insurance |
| Phone & Data | Business % | If personal phone, claim ~70% as business use |
| Car Wash | 100% | Business expense for passenger-facing vehicle |
| Tracker | 100% | Required by most insurers for e-hailing |
| Vehicle Depreciation | Yes | SARS allows 15-20% per year on vehicle value |
| Tolls & e-Tolls | 100% | Keep e-tag statements |
| Parking | 100% | Airport queues, mall parking |
| Car Rental | 100% | If renting, the full rental is deductible |
⚠️ Important: You must be registered as a provisional taxpayer with SARS. If you're earning over R95,750/year (2026 tax year), you need to file. Not declaring your e-hailing income is tax evasion — SARS is increasingly cross-referencing platform payouts.
Here's what a typical Johannesburg Uber driver's expenses look like when properly tracked (40 hours/week, 1,200 km/week, Suzuki Dzire):
| Category | Monthly | Annual | % of Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel | R6,267 | R75,200 | 40% |
| Car Rental/Finance | R2,500 | R30,000 | 16% |
| Insurance | R1,200 | R14,400 | 8% |
| Maintenance | R800 | R9,600 | 5% |
| Phone/Data | R150 | R1,800 | 1% |
| Tracker | R150 | R1,800 | 1% |
| Car Wash | R400 | R4,800 | 3% |
| Tolls/Parking | R200 | R2,400 | 1% |
| TOTAL EXPENSES | R11,667 | R140,000 | 75% |
If this driver earns R15,500/month gross (40 hours × R175/hour × 90% utilisation), their actual profit is R3,833/month. Not the R15,500 they see in the Uber app.
💡 Pro tip: Most drivers don't realise that 75% of their revenue goes to expenses. The FleetCalc calculator shows this breakdown instantly — plug in your numbers and see where you really stand.
Make this a habit every Sunday evening:
That's it. 5 minutes. The spreadsheet does all the math.
The expense tracker tells you where your money goes. FleetCalc tells you if the business model works.
Once you've tracked expenses for a month, plug your real numbers into the FleetCalc calculator. Compare your actual costs against our benchmarks. If your fuel cost per km is higher than average, you might need a more efficient car. If your maintenance is spiking, it might be time to sell.
Tracking expenses is step one. Understanding what they mean for your profitability is step two. FleetCalc does step two.
Open Free Expense Tracker → Check Your Profit on FleetCalc →