“The more you see them, the fewer problems you’ll experience,” says Walt Weller, vice president of sales at Double Coin Tire, the exclusive distributor of Double Coin products in North America. “One of the most expensive issues for fleets is road service for tires, and much of the time those are preventable problems.”
Double Coin, according to Weller, encourages fleets to focus on tires in several ways. Included are making tire maintenance a key part of preventive maintenance programs, as well as ensuring that drivers inspect them thoroughly during pre- and post-trip inspections.
“We also work with our fleet customers by sending field engineers to help determine needs and create effective practices,” Weller says. “Additionally, our commercial dealers work with customers on service plans, including PSI monitoring programs and conducting yard checks. The result of all these activities is longer wear and lower costs for tires, especially by having fewer breakdowns.”
“We pride ourselves on supporting our customers to meet all of their tire and non-tire-related roadside needs,” says Alex Chmiel, Continental’s director of marketing for truck tires in the Americas. “Our TrukFix comprehensive tire maintenance program integrates everything a fleet may need from an emergency service and offers support and peace of mind during a roadside event.”
“Regulations, such as CSA, put pressure on fleets to monitor their equipment, driver performance and tires,” said Vic Koelsch, chief operating officer, Michelin Americas Truck Tires Division. “Michelin’s Tire Care provides reporting which gives fleets the ability to take immediate actions that result in steps to affect their CSA scores. These reports also demonstrate proactive maintenance practices, which are ultimately reflected in the fleet’s safety performance.”
“Vehicle downtime equals lost revenue,” states Jose Martinez, business solutions manager at Goodyear Commercial Tire Systems. “Trucks that have been immobilized by tire-related problems need to get back on the road as quickly as possible. That’s why having access to a comprehensive emergency roadside service program is so important. Our goal is to get trucks up and running as quickly and efficiently as possible so fleets can continue to focus on moving freight.”
National Programs
The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co.’s 24/7 Emergency Roadside Service program, which is offered through the Goodyear-FleetHQ suite of business solutions, recently helped its one millionth customer return to service. The Goodyear-FleetHQ Emergency Roadside Service delivers roll-time of two hours and 11 minutes on average, according to the company, by providing access to more than 2,200 Goodyear-affiliated commercial tire service providers. The Goodyear-FleetHQ Solution Center can be contacted via the Goodyear Commercial Tire and Service Center web site, by calling a dedicated number, or through the Goodyear Road Service App.
Continental’s TrukFix Program, a free service for all Continental commercial tire national account customers, handles breakdowns through a network of over 1,000 commercial tire dealers and service outlets. The emergency road service offering recently expanded to include light mechanical work and towing in addition to existing emergency tire services. Fleets and drivers in need of assistance can call the TrukFix toll-free hotline, or contact the service on the Truck Tire Dealer Locator App, and be directed to an approved Continental dealer or service outlet.
Michelin Americas Truck Tires has announced Michelin Tire Care. The nationwide fleet tire monitoring program overseen by Michelin Commercial Service Network technicians captures tire data electronically on trucks traveling throughout the U.S.
Bridgestone National Fleet Program provides emergency road service through the Bridgestone Everywhere Network. The program also deploys the Bridgestone Commercial Market Team to analyze and recommend service options for fleets, including custom service programs. There are no start-up costs or annual fees for the program, which is offered at more than 2,500 Bridgestone, Firestone and Bandag dealers and service providers in North America.
