No matter what the fleet size, commercial tires are a major and crucial investment. Implementing strategies for extending tire life can provide serious cost-savings for fleet managers. More importantly, tactics used to maximize commercial tire life can also significantly improve safety for commercial truck drivers.

1. Choose the right commercial tire for the application.

Selecting the right commercial tire for the job is important because manufacturers optimize commercial tires for specific categories of operation. Having a solid working knowledge of the fleet’s cargo and routes will allow fleet managers to make the best tire selection for a particular vehicle. Working with an experienced and knowledgeable commercial tire dealer, fleet managers can obtain expert assistance in testing new specifications in order to find the optimal tire for the application. This selection process can result in significant cost savings for fleets over time.

2. Implement a good commercial tire maintenance program.

Effective fleet management involves regular inspection and an established tire maintenance program. Inspection of tire tread for signs of irregular wear is essential, as uneven tread wear is the primary reason for premature commercial tire failure. The problem is usually improper inflation, misalignment, as well as failure to rotate and properly balance tires. When setting up a tire maintenance protocol, the truck application may need to be considered. Some types of trucks may have special alignment consideration, depending on the type of job they do.

A common problem that is noted with commercial tire maintenance is that inside dual tires are often neglected. It is important to inspect and maintain all tires for optimal overall fleet performance and safety.

Fleet management should include ongoing cost monitoring and evaluation. Spotting problematic trends and issues can help fleet managers to make adjustments to improve long-term commercial tire investment returns.