Australian rideshare drivers often search for a mileage tracker when what they really need is a defensible vehicle record. Under the logbook method, the quality of the 12-week sample matters because it supports the business-use percentage applied to eligible car expenses.
What should a rideshare logbook record?
The ATO describes a continuous 12-week logbook period and records for business journeys. In practice, keep the journey date, odometer readings or kilometres travelled, and a clear business purpose. You also need odometer records around the relevant period so the business-use calculation has a reliable total-distance base.
Do not automatically treat every movement of the car as business travel. Commuting and private use can be treated differently, and mixed-purpose journeys deserve careful review. The useful habit is to classify while the journey is still fresh rather than trying to reconstruct three months from memory.
A practical 12-week workflow
- Choose a representative continuous 12-week period.
- Record the starting odometer and the vehicle being used.
- Capture every journey, including private travel that contributes to total use.
- Review the business purpose and classification promptly.
- Close the period with an ending odometer and review gaps before calculating business use.
How EarningsPilotAU helps
Start a new vehicle logbook period inside the app. With auto-tracking enabled, the native app can detect travel in the background. When you arrive home, a Welcome Home notification opens a review: check the detected journey, save it as business, mark it private or discard an invalid detection.
Trips already logged for rideshare work can also be imported into the vehicle logbook. That reduces repeat entry, but you remain in control of the classification. The app then calculates a business-use percentage from the records inside the period.
Before relying on the result
Look for missing days, duplicate trips, implausible distances and journeys with no clear purpose. Keep underlying platform and expense records. The software makes capture and review easier; it does not replace the driver’s responsibility for complete, accurate entries.
How long can a logbook last?
ATO guidance says a valid logbook can generally be used for up to five years, but a new one may be needed if your pattern of use changes materially. Check the current rule before relying on an older percentage.
Read the ATO motor vehicle and car expense guidance for the official requirements.