Uncovering the Impact of Tires on Fuel Performance, Safety & Driver Satisfaction
Tires can impact so much when it comes to fleet performance. And it’s not just about the equipment, but driver satisfaction/performance as well. There’s so much riding on the tires of your fleet, literally. Let’s take a closer look…
Tires Impact Fuel Performance
Underinflation will absolutely destroy your fuel economy. Having tires that are not inflated properly reduces the ability of the tire sidewall to support the load on the tire. This increases the degree to which the sidewall will flex; and it changes the footprint or contact patch of the tire. A tire that is underinflated by 10% can result in 20% increase in rolling resistance, and a corresponding drop in fuel economy. In fact, rolling resistance alone can make up for approx. 25% of fuel consumption. This is definitely something to be considering as we head into the Winter months.
In addition to regularly checking the health of your tires as part of our mobile maintenance service, Dickinson Fleet recommends using automatic tire monitoring and making it as easy as possible for drivers to inflate tires when needed. Remember, an underinflated tire is always much more serious than a tire being a few PSI overinflated.
Tires Are a Safety Liability
When considering truck safety, tires may not be your top priority. However, any Fleet Manager who has ever experienced a blowout will tell you that poor tires are absolutely a safety hazard.
Tires play a BIG part in taking corners properly, being responsive when steering through traffic and traction is directly impacted by tire tread. There’s also braking, acceleration and more where tires play a large role. Even in the best weather conditions, poorly maintained tires can cause major safety threats to the driver and cars that are sharing the road.
Properly maintaining your fleet’s tires will not only help provide a safer vehicle for your drivers, but it’ll help you prevent citations from the DOT & FMCSA.
Quality Tires Mean Happy Drivers
Investing in quality tires means investing in your drivers. Why? Because the drivers that make up your fleet will be the first to notice the change. Getting improved tires is like wearing a pair of new shoes – you just can’t help but notice the difference in support.
Further, it means having a fleet of drivers behind the wheel of trucks that are quieter, able to be steered easier and posing less schedule interruptions than a set of tires nearing the end of a lifecycle. Guess what? This means drivers aren’t as frustrated because they feel like they are equipped to do their job without having to worry about a major tire catastrophe.
Training our Techs on Tires
At Dickinson Fleet Services, we understand the importance of tires to your fleet’s performance. It’s for this reason that we invest in consistently training our technicians on the latest advances in tires through partnerships like the one we have with Goodyear. In fact, in 2016 Goodyear went above and beyond to make sure our team was equipped with the tire knowledge they needed to make the absolute best recommendations for our clients.
Dickinson Fleet is YOUR Partner
At Dickinson Fleet, we aren’t your truck maintenance provider. We are your fleet maintenance partner. This means giving our technicians the tools and education needed to act as an extension of your time.
When it comes to things such as tire life and truck maintenance in general, you don’t want a provider. You want a partner. A partner is a company that understands the fleet’s activities over the course of time.
This means advising you in the best way possible and performing maintenance on YOUR schedule at YOUR location to minimize downtime.
Looking for a Maintenance Partner?
Contact us online or call 855-DFS-4111
