In addition to choosing fuel-efficient tires, fleets can improve fuel economy by maintaining correct tire pressure. Underinflation of just 10 psi reduces fuel economy by one percent, and improper tire inflation increases total tire-related costs by approximately $600 to $800 annually per tractor-trailer combination, according to the Technology & Maintenance Council.

Continental offers a full portfolio of digital tire monitoring systems to meet different fleet needs. Solutions include ContiPressureCheck single vehicle monitoring system, ContiConnect Yard fleet monitoring system with web portal, and ContiPressureCheck Solo GHG2-compliant TPMS for trailers. Components of all systems can be combined to take advantage of different functionalities.

ContiPressureCheck monitors a single vehicle in real-time, alerting the driver to tire pressure and temperature issues via an in-cab display. It is ideal for fleets whose trucks or buses are away from the terminal for long periods of time, and for owner-operators. ContiPressureCheck® can also be integrated with any of our telematics partners for remote data viewing, such as Zonar, PeopleNet, and Geotab.

ContiConnect monitors the entire fleet when vehicles are in the terminal, alerting back office personnel to tire issues via a mobile-friendly web portal, plus text and email notifications for severe alerts. It is ideal for fleets whose trucks or buses return to the terminal daily.

ContiPressureCheck Solo is designed to meet greenhouse gas emissions and fuel efficiency standards from multiple regulatory bodies, which are currently pending implementation: GHG Phase 2 for Trailers set forth by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA), and CA Phase 2 GHG Trailer Rules set forth by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) which go into effect in 2020. Both sets of regulations currently contain provisions for certain trailers to install either a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) or an automatic tire inflation system (ATIS) and to use low-rolling-resistance tires.

“If the legislation stays as currently written, fleets will be able to meet all GHG 2 regulations with just two simple items from Continental: the ContiPressureCheck Solo trailer TPMS and our extremely low rolling resistance tires, such as the Conti EcoPlus line,” explains Michelle Reinhart, head of Continental’s digital solutions for commercial vehicle tires in Americas region. “Just two products and your trailer can be GHG 2 compliant. You won’t need an aerodynamic kit or any additional products.”