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Uphill Climb: Road to Recovery is Steep for Medium Truck Segment
February 09, 2010
Although 2009 was a tough year across the entire industry, the medium truck tire segment was hit particularly hard. The economic tailspin saw consumers tightening their budgets, which in turn resulted in diminished orders and less shipping. Trucks and other types of freight haulers sat idle, and demand for new tires plummeted. Freight tonnage was down roughly 25% from 2008, trucking revenues were... read more
 
Rolling Forward: Tiremakers Improve Fleets' Fuel Efficiency Through Technology
February 09, 2010
Modern trucking fleets face difficult challenges on a day-to-day basis. Fuel efficiency is one of the most important concerns to the contemporary fleet owner. Volatile oil prices dramatically affect the cost of fleet operations and maintenance. Growing environmental concerns push the development of green technologies and shape consumer perceptions of businesses. New government regulations to decrease... read more
 
The Sounds of Silence, Truck Tire Style
January 18, 2010
Those of you who have been in the industry more than a few years can remember when trucks were loud. Sometimes this was intentional, similar to when we, as teenagers, spent hard earned money to put dual glasspack mufflers on our hot rods. At other times the trucks just came that way new. Objections to this noise reached a level such that the federal government enacted regulations during the... read more
 
Multiple Components Can Influence Truck Handling
December 14, 2009
Change is a constant, even accelerating, part of the trucking industry and never has this been more obvious than in the increasing diversity of vehicle sizes, configurations and the service conditions they are expected to endure. The days of typical trucking fleets being composed of simply line haul tractors and smaller delivery trucks are rapidly disappearing. Truck brands, many new to the North... read more
 
Commercial Dealers Can Improve Response, Revenue
October 26, 2009
Before the fleetHQ Solution Center began handling Donald B. Rice Tire Co.’s after-hour calls, the tire dealer’s customers may have had better luck reaching a medical or law office than getting the right tire for their trucks. “Our after-hour calls were being answered by a local answering service that also works for doctors and lawyers,” said Chris Chase, executive vice... read more
 
Second Class Citizens? Not Any More!
September 02, 2009
There was a time when retreaded tires were pretty good but they didn’t last as long as new tires and their adjustment rate was somewhat higher than comparable new tires. However, they were safe and saved truckers and other motorists considerable amounts of money when compared to higher priced new tires, even if they didn’t last as long and they had a few problems. But that was a long... read more
 
An Urgent Message To Public Sector Fleet Managers Everywhere
June 01, 2009
With the worldwide downturn in the economy facing cities, towns, counties, states, provinces and even villages everywhere, it is more important than ever for fleet managers to pay attention to their tire costs. Retreads can and should be the answer. Not only are retreaded tires very environmentally friendly, they are far more economical than comparable new tires. The larger the tire size the... read more
 
Different Types of Fleet-Dealer Relationships
June 01, 2009
Conditions of the general economy, and the trucking industry in particular, are forcing many fleets to search for new ways of cutting operating costs and improving efficiencies. One continuing trend is outsourcing. While not a new idea, it is one that is expanding. The chief appeal of outsourcing is reduced fleet payroll by allowing varying manpower requirements to be absorbed by outside suppliers... read more
 
Are Retreads Really Any Good?
May 01, 2009
One of my favorite movie comedies had a scene where a fellow’s wife peeked through a window and saw him in bed with another woman. When she confronted him, he denied it and said: “Who are you going to believe, me or your stinkin’ eyes?” I mention this because a great frustration to our industry is the notion that some fleet managers still have that retreaded tires ca... read more
 
Truck Tire Care Basic But Subtle
May 01, 2009
For years, recommendations for truck tire maintenance centered around inflation checks, visual checks for abnormalities, vehicle alignment, and industry standardized work procedures during mounting, dismounting, and other service operations. These core practices are necessary for safety, cost control and for minimizing downtime or unscheduled tire maintenance. There are many other important... read more
 
How Long Do Truck Tires Last?
April 01, 2009
What is a Truck Tire? To begin, we must define truck tires. These are tires usually associated with use on light, medium and heavy commercial vehicles over 10,000 pounds GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight). These truck tires are generally constructed of a single steel body ply and 3 or 4 steel belts under the tread. They are designed to go hundreds of thousands of miles on their original tread, and then... read more
 
Super Wide Tires, Aluminum Wheels & Weight Savings
April 01, 2009
In the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s SmartWay Transport Partnership’s specifications for Class 8 vehicles, lighter-weight tractor and trailer components are recommended as potential fuel saving options. Reducing 3,000 lbs. from a heavy-duty vehicle, EPA notes, could save between 200 and 500 gallons of fuel each year. “Truck fuel consumption increases with the... read more
 
When Simple Choices Just Aren’t Enough
April 01, 2009
Selecting the best truck tires – or, more specifically, matching tires to expected service conditions – has traditionally been accomplished by following a few simple guidelines. The three main service categories suggested by nearly all tire manufacturers have been: 1. high speed line haul 2. metro and pickup/delivery 3. mixed on-off road service Among the primary d... read more
 
I Hit A Road Alligator
March 01, 2009
It finally happened to me. Really. I was driving to the Philadelphia International Airport on I-95 a few weeks ago when I noticed a junky old pick up with a junky old trailer in front of me, and I could see the trailer wobbling from side to side. “Wow,” I thought, “This guy’s going to lose a tire.” I was transfixed and although I probably should have moved to... read more
 
Keeping it Tight
March 01, 2009
There is no good time for loose truck wheels. Never was, and I don’t expect there will be. Frankly, there is no excuse for it either. Modern hub-piloted wheel attachment systems have simplified fastener inventories and have extended the durability of wheels, lug studs, nuts and other hardware. Because the majority of over-the-road wheel-end systems are now hub-piloted, I will focus on... read more
 
Trouble-Free Wheel-End Care
March 01, 2009
As much as 90% of all wheel end seal failures are a result of improper installations, according to SKF. The manufacturer offers a systems approach to wheel-end maintenance in its Trouble Free Operation program, by providing fleets with detailed instructional materials and making hands-on training available to technicians. The following tips are from the program’s Wheel-End Maintenance... read more
 
It’s Time To Think Again!
February 01, 2009
The NHTSA Commercial Medium Tire Debris Study is not news to the retread industry. We knew it all the time! If you are certain that tire debris on our highways (also known as road alligators) is caused by retreads, you need to read the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Commercial Medium Tire Debris Study just released. It is a 214-page document and should prove once and... read more
 
Light- and Medium-Duty Tire Basics
February 01, 2009
Tire size and type selection for Class 6-8 highway trucks is almost a science for most fleet users and their dealers. Recent developments, such as super wide single tire options and selected self-sealing highway tires, may warrant a fresh look, but the choices are relatively simple and well known among dealers. This is certainly not the case for many light- and medium-duty fleet vehicle buyers... read more
 
Struggle Ahead: Service, Support Key to Survival in Medium Truck Tire Market
January 13, 2009
While today’s faltering economy has hit most areas of the country pretty hard, there is one segment in particular that has taken a beating – the trucking industry. In October, truck tonnage fell for the fourth month in a row for a total decrease of 6.3% since July, according to the American Trucking Associations. With less freight being hauled and at higher costs, many small, independent... read more
 
Choosing the Right Retread Partner
January 01, 2009
Tires consistently rank as the greatest expense for a fleet after labor and fuel costs, so it is important for fleets to get the most out of these assets. One way to extend tire life is to use retreads and many fleets work with retreaders to achieve the longest tire life. What does a fleet need to know to wisely choose a retread dealer? The following steps will help save time and money when... read more
 
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