The busy summer driving season is right around the corner, which means more vehicles of all types are hitting the road. Ensuring trucks are properly serviced before leaving the yard is critical to the safety and performance of a fleet, particularly as trucks today run heavier loads for longer hours of operation.
This week (May 20-27) is National Tire Safety Week, an industry initiative led by the U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association. A proactive and routine tire maintenance program is one of the most important practices a fleet can implement to help ensure the safety of their operation and help protect the driving public. This National Tire Safety Week, Bridgestone is urging commercial fleets to exercise tire safety this season by following these simple steps:
Select the right tire for the job, considering the proper tire size, load carrying capacity and service type.
Tire selection is the foundation of tire performance. Even the right tire in the wrong application won’t perform as desired. Fleets should consider various factors when choosing a tire to ensure performance expectations are met, including application, size, load carrying capacity and route. Once a tire is chosen, proactive maintenance is critical to ensuring the long-term safety and performance of a tire over time.
Set and maintain proper cold inflation pressure for every tire before each haul.
Tire inflation pressure should be checked when a tire is cold. Cold inflation pressure is most accurately measured when tires have been parked for three or more hours or driven less than a mile at a moderate speed. Fleet managers and commercial truck drivers should utilize a tire pressure gauge at each wheel position to accurately measure tire inflation pressure. While seemingly simple, tire inflation pressure is one of the most important and often overlooked aspects of a tire maintenance program. Improper inflation pressure can lead to downtime and can damage tire casings, potentially reducing a casing’s lifespan and making it unfit for retreading. Proper inflation pressure also helps to ensure even weight distribution across a tire’s contact patch – where the rubber meets the road – maximizing tread wear life and fuel efficiency.
Inspect tires frequently for road-related damage.
Hands-on inspections can be helpful in identifying irregular wear issues, low tread depth and road-related damage that may lead to safety-related issues and/or downtime. Before each haul, drivers and fleet managers should look for irregular wear, flat spotting, cuts, cracks, bulges or penetrations to address any issues before they impact tire performance.
Do not exceed a tire’s maximum recommended speed, which may be lower than posted highway speed limits.
Fleet managers should always ensure that drivers are abiding by the tire manufacturer’s maximum tire speed rating. Exceeding the speed rating of a tire can lead to various tire-related incidents, potentially causing downtime and ultimately risking highway safety.
Bottom line, a proactive tire maintenance program is crucial to the safety and performance of commercial fleet operations. By taking care of small issues as they arise, fleets can actively help prevent larger problems that may result in costly downtime and potentially compromise safety.
Tire safety is the responsibility of every person who utilizes the road, whether you are running a 1,000-truck operation or driving a passenger vehicle to and from work. As leaders in the commercial trucking industry, Bridgestone requests help from all in the trucking industry to improve highway safety by practicing proper tire care and maintenance.
