Tired of replacing tires repeatedly? Looking for ways to optimize fleet tire performance? Read on to find out how to optimize the performance of your tires!
The fleet industry is an ever-competitive one, which requires you to stay on top of your game and provide reliable and excellent service to your customers. However, another important aspect of running a fleet is to constantly find ways to improve the overall efficiency of the fleet and ways that can lead to some cost savings. Fleet tires often tend to be one of the biggest expenses for a fleet. This is why you must find ways to optimize the performance of your tires.
Here are some important ways that can help you boost fleet tire performance.
Select the Appropriate Tire
Choosing the right and most appropriate tire for the job is vital in attaining and maintaining optimal tire performance. This is why when selecting a tire for your fleet trucks, you must consider important factors such as the tire’s durability, mile to removal, traction, retreadability, and fuel efficiency.
Moreover, you need to have a clear understanding of the drive, steer, and trail designs. You also need to have a clear goal about the use of the tires and how rough or smooth-sailing it’s going to be. These considerations will surely help you choose the right tire.
According to Dustin Lancy, Goodyear’s commercial product manager for urban and regional, optimal tire performance relies heavily on appropriate and accurate tire selection for a fleet’s usage. He believes that fleets should work with their local tire dealers to figure out and recognize what’s most important to them in terms of tire performance and what their tires will be required to do and undergo regularly. Talking with dealers is critical as they have the right experience and expertise to guide you to the right product, which will be ideal for your application.
Maintain Proper Tire Inflation
Another essential factor in attaining optimal tire performance is to maintain proper tire inflation. This is because conditions such as over or under-inflation of the tire can directly affect its fuel efficiency, wear rate, and retreadability.
According to Lancy, low tire pressure is one of the major causes of tire failure. This is because when a tire is under-inflated, the tire casing flexes during repeated usage and generates heat, which tends to lead to roadside downtime and other complications. This is not something that a fleet wants or can afford as it causes delays in their work. To avoid such a situation, it’s best to use the correct pressure that’s per load recommendation. Furthermore, the fleet drivers need to monitor the tire pressure while on the road.
Implement a Tire Management Program
To ensure fleet tire performance, you need to implement a proper tire management program. This program needs to include all the management essentials such as regular inflation checks. Such a program can greatly assist a fleet in attaining augmented tire performance and endurance. It will also greatly reduce the chances of tire failure and consequent common pain points.
If you establish a tire management program, it will help you regularly check the conditions of your tires and the positions of your wheels. This will help you gain a clear picture of how your tires are performing and if they need any maintenance. It will also give you a tentative idea of when your tires might demand service and repairs in the future, which will allow you to stay on top of things. An engaging and comprehensive tire management program will help you identify potential problems before they transform into expensive roadside emergencies.
Lancy said that at Goodyear, the aim is to arm fleets with services and products that help them to effectively and proactively manage their routine operations. Their tire management program provides amazing in-class monitoring, services, and insights that help fleets attain increased tire life, boosted uptime, and reduced emergency service costs.
The comprehensive program includes Tire Optix, which is a digital inspection toolset that accumulates vital tire data. It also includes Goodyear TireReady, which is a tire management solution and Goodyear CheckPoint, which is a drive-over reader device. Furthermore, the program offers Goodyear TPMS Plus, which is a motoring system that you can place inside the vehicle so that it can track the conditions of the tires in real-time.
According to Lancy, a robust tire management program will help fleets attain augmented tire performance both in the short and long term. This is because, with proper management and training, fleets will invest in regular tire health checks, which will lead to an increased uptime in the short term.
As for the long term benefit, these health checks will help fleet managers in predicting and preparing for potential future tire servicing and purchase requirements. This will ultimately lead to cost savings over time. Furthermore, meticulous tire management also allows fleets to preserve the health of their truck tire casings, which then helps increase the tires’ retreadability.
The Bottom Line
If you are looking to enhance fleet tire performance, then make sure to follow the aforementioned steps required to do so. Select the right tires that are appropriate for your usage and are tailor-made to endure the wear and tear that comes with it. This will not just boost their performance, but also ensure that your tires last for a long time.
Additionally, make sure to keep your tires properly inflated to avoid tire failure and costly roadside downtime. The best way to avoid such an occurrence is to keep a proper check on the tires while on the road.
Lastly, invest in a comprehensive tire management program that teaches fleet drivers to take care of their tires and provides them the tools necessary to do so. Investing in such a program will help increase the longevity of your tires, boost their performance, and also save you a lot of money in the long run.
Source:
https://www.worktruckonline.com/356147/achieving-optimal-tire-performance-for-small-medium-fleets
