Tire management systems
Nov 1, 2007 12:00 PM
Millers says it is best to wait until tires are at least 50 percent worn to draw any preliminary cost-per-mile conclusions. “Better yet, wait until a significant number of tires are out-of-service. This gives a more accurate picture of what's happening with the costs.”
After tires are out of service, Miller suggests that data gathering continue through scrap tire analysis. This type of data can be captured by TVTRACK, and summarized results can be shown with various charts and graphs.
“Knowing why tires are removed, and the age and number of retreads you are getting on casings, indicates whether the tires were properly maintained,” he says. “For example, if tires are full of debris and failing when punctures occur, frequent yard clean-up, tire inspections, or both, might extend tire life in a fleet.”
According to Miller, tire-tracking software is not intended to track every tire on every vehicle in a fleet. “It is meant to be a tool to aid in the tire decision-making process by providing a way to sample performance from a selected group of vehicles within the fleet.”
Tire comparisons
Goodyear's TireValuCalc software tool uses data gathered by TVTRACK or other sources to calculate total costs associated with running different tire combinations.
Suppose a fleet maintenance manager wants to know whether to run new tires or retreads on drive axles, says Miller. TireValuCalc calculates the costs for each scenario, as well as fuel costs. “Fuel economy differences among various tire combinations and varying wear rates help determine which tires will deliver the overall lowest cost of operation.”
Keeping good records and possessing data that predicts tire wear can help lower fleet costs. Knowing which tires are most cost-effective on a fleet's trucks can assist future tire purchase decisions.
“What's more, knowing the wear rates of tires in the fleet and forecasting new vehicle purchase cycles allows a fleet to anticipate peaks and valleys in the replacement tire purchase cycle,” Miller says. “This could help with budget planning in the months and years ahead.”
