How CSX Transportation Reclaimed 1,888 Hours of Tax Compliance Work

The challenge

CSX Transportation, a nationwide transportation supplier, only had one indirect tax accountant preparing and filing 23 returns in 27 states and Canada with no plans of adding additional tax talent for support.

“Railroad companies, in general, have been cutting headcount,” reflected Zachary Garretson, Tax Manager at CSX Transportation. “So, it is important for us to think innovatively and utilize technologies or other resources to free up our tax team’s capacity.”

The solution

“My team is all about doing things more efficiently,” said Crystal Mack, Tax Accountant at CSX. “If there is a cost-effective technology that will help us move quicker and better, we will place importance on that.”

CSX partnered with IGEN for their fuel data preparation and form generation software, ComplyIQ.

“ComplyIQ saves my staff a lot of time from having to key in numbers on a return,” said Garretson. “it’s simple; you upload the file, it cleans and pre-populates the data, you review it, and hit submit.”

With intelligent data preparation and automated form generation technology, CSX sets aside only two days a month to focus on indirect fuel tax reporting.

“It takes about one day to prepare data and one day to file the 23 returns,” said Mack. “I’m so glad I don’t have to do this manually because that would be all I do or have time for.”

Client Support

“The support is one of IGEN’s strengths,” said Garretson. “IGEN is quick to respond, very helpful, and proactively fixes problems I didn’t even know I had.”

Having a dedicated support team has prevented any roadblocks in operational efficiency. “My questions get answered very quickly,” said Mack. “I have a great relationship with Meg, IGEN’s Support Specialist Lead.”

The results

“ComplyIQ frees my staff up to do what I would call more value-added work versus just getting numbers on a return,” said Garretson. “Now we can have people working on stuff that was put on the back burner because of lack of capacity.”

Since the single indirect tax accountant can complete the preparation and filing of 23 returns for 27 states and Canada in just two days, she has the flexibility to allocate her time to other areas of the business and provide assistance.

“I can devote my time to the business’s sales tax and property tax side,” said Mack. “ComplyIQ has freed me up to do other things.”

CSX Transport’s team:

• Reclaimed 1,888 hours a year in data preparation and return generation
• Increased filing efficiencies, elevating team members to focus on areas of greater organizational impact
• Files 23 returns in 27 states and Canada in just two days each month
• Minimized errors and inaccuracies that would have caused late filings and amendments

“Tax teams are becoming more automated,” reflected Garretson. “I wholeheartedly recommend ComplyIQ by IGEN to anybody in the motor fuel carrier and importer space.”