What are the pros and cons, or the requirements of claiming a vehicle purchase on your income tax return. I bought my truck specifically to work out of, but I do not own my own business. I had to have a vehicle to haul my travel trailer, and haul my equipment to and from job sites. Any advice is appreciated.

Pros: can lower your tax liability. Cons: record keeping can be a headache. Spend $70 and get TurboTax for Home & Small Business. It will guide you through tax deduction scenarios and may help you find deductions you have not thought about.

You should still be able to deduct, but you will have to log your miles. There are some apps you can use to log miles.

Cashbook is a good one for keeping up with all your business expenses including mileage. I think it's a $4 to 5 app. It will automatically backup to the cloud if you set it up that way as well...

I'm not a CPA but I believe you have to decide whether you're going to count actual expenses, or if you're going to count mileage? I don't believe you can count both. Another question your CPA (if you use one) will ask...do you have another vehicle for personal use? If not, then you won't be able to count off 100% of the mileage or expenses but only the percentage that you use for business, which requires the keeping of records as mentioned by Toothdoc above.

I believe you can deduct actual expenses for the vehicle or take the mileage rate, so you will need to decide which you think will be the larger deduction. You still need to keep a mileage log either way for documentation.

If your job requires you to use your own vehicle, there are some obligations they have to pay you mileage. I know if we send a staff member from one location to another, we have to pay them mileage.

The company has NO obligation to pay mileage unless it is their policy. If you are reimbursed mileage by your company you can not take a deduction for that mileage. If you are not reimbursed, you can take it as an Itemized Deduction on Schedule A.

Commuting mileas are not deductible.

https://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc514.html

Unless you are working out of an office in your home, then the mileage associated with going from your home to a business/work related function would be deductible, but not the mileage from your home to a regular office not located in your home...

If your company reimburses mileage at a rate less than what the government pays then you can take a deduction on the difference.

I get reimbursement for mileage, and yes I have another personal vehicle. The truck is used as my work vehicle. My travel trailer is also only used for work. That's why I bought both of them.
I'm an independent contractor. I work for several different companies at different times. Sometimes the jobs last a month, sometimes over a year. (Gas and oil industry).
My main question is, can I use the price I paid for my truck, and upkeep, tires, oil changes, etc, as some type of deduction ? I know mileage is out of the question.

Depreciation perhaps?

Not sure. Think I'll just find me a good CPA. Any suggestions on a good one around Cullman ?