By Derek Smith
Improving fuel economy and running more environmentally responsible was the message Michelin and Utility Trailers presented to fleets and owner-operators throughout North America as part of a “Go Wide, Save Green” tour.
The companies held events at four U.S. and four Canadian cities and invited hundreds of customers to learn about the benefits of running wide-single tires on tractors and trailers. Doing so, the companies say, reduces weight in addition to boosting miles per gallon.
“With the cost of diesel fuel now averaging almost $5 per gallon, we believe this message will truly resonate with truckers who pay more than $1,000 per fill up and travel 100,000 miles or more each year,” said Marc Laferriere, vice president of marketing, Michelin Americas Truck Tires. “Michelin X One tires provide an excellent means to improve a truck’s operating efficiency. Not only does this save the trucking company green on their bottom line, but it also saves the environment green by reducing fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.”
At a recent tour stop in Lake Geneva, Wis., Michelin and Utility set about proving their point with presentations, demos and test drives. Two Freightliner tractors with X One tires in the drive positions hooked to two Utility trailers, also equipped with the wide-single tires, were provided for customers to experience the products firsthand.
The tractor-trailer combination of wide-single tires paired with aluminum wheels can reduce weight by up to 1,000 pounds, a particularly attractive option for bulk haul and tanker applications, according to Michelin. But the company offers wide-single tire options for most trucking applications and acceptance continues to grow.
Michelin estimates that 600,000 X One tires have been sold, resulting in about 50,000 trucks operating with the wide-tire configuration and about 1,000 trucks converting each month. The company estimates this volume of product has saved more than 15 million gallons of fuel and reduced CO2 emissions by more than 165,000 tons.
