In evaluating drivers, I’ve often thought that viewing a driver’s personal vehicle will tell you how they’ll care for a shop truck. Their car or pickup needn’t be new, but a well-maintained personal vehicle indicates the driver cares about such machinery. In the following piece, a quoted expert discusses tire cost, driver training and tire wear. I once oversaw a fleet of 12 trucks that were leased from Ryder Truck Rental and that company required each driver to complete a short driver-training course twice annually. New drivers were subjected to immediate training. If such service isn’t available for your shop, perhaps one staff person could train to become a safety/driving coach.
In a recent rubbernews.com article, writer Miles More reported the remarks of Al Cohn, director of new market development and engineering support for Pressure Systems Intl., who said tires are the biggest maintenance cost for truck fleets and that managing tire costs is often the difference between profit and loss. Cohn said the average prices for commercial tires has increased 50% or more in recent years, so fleet operators should take tires and tire maintenance seriously. Whenever possible, he said, work with a professional truck-tire service agency.
Cohn said any number of factors can reduce tire mileage, but most prevalent is the makes and model of the tires, the vehicle type, load weight, routes, speeds, vehicle alignment and tire pressure. In addition, he said an often overlooked factor in truck tire mileage is the driver, who can affect tire mileage by as much as 35%. “There s a direct correlation between the age and experience of the driver and the tire mileage you get,” he said.
He suggested that regular driver training, proper tire selection, frequent tire inspection and correct tire pressures will improve tire wear and fuel use.