The AAA Cooper Transportation advantage: A cohesive maintenance, safety and purchasing approach
Combining three functional areas of its fleet operation under a single management team is proving to be an advantage at AAA Cooper Transportation. “With safety, maintenance and purchasing for the fleet managed collectively we have a combined thought process,” says Steven Aronhalt, the fleet’s vice president of safety and maintenance. “The value in that approach
Technology in the world of truck tires
Technology is taking over the trucking industry. That much is clear across every aspect of the truck—from the state-of-the-art features of the engine to the tracking software that lets you know where your trailer is at all times. Naturally, it’s true for the tires as well. It might not be the most immediate area you
Not too high, not too low: The importance of keeping your truck tire inflation levels just right
A fleet manager’s job is focused on the little things. A tenth of an MPG here, an extended maintenance cycle there—across a fleet, these seemingly small points can add up to significant profits. The same goes for truck tire inflation: a few PSI in the right direction can go a long way, while a few
Optimizing truck tire performance: How to protect your investment
When choosing tires, Sharon Cowart, product marketing director for Michelin Americas Truck Tires, says that the first step is to determine what your goals are for your tire program. “For over-the-road operations, it is a common goal to maximize fuel savings,” she begins. “For more localized operations the goals may be more focused on lowering
The value of low rolling resistance trailer tires
For many years, tire manufacturers have been promoting the fuel-saving potential of their low rolling resistance products. Their claims, based on sound research, indicate that tire rolling resistance accounts for a significant percentage of fuel consumption. Their case for adopting low rolling resistance tire technology becomes even stronger when you consider that, under the EPA
Comparing duals with super-wide base tires
“For vehicles equipped with dual tires, if one of the dual tires becomes significantly underinflated or flat, the other tire will carry the load for both tires, resulting in an overloaded condition for both tires,” said Gary Schroeder, director of Cooper’s truck and bus tire business, which includes the Roadmaster brand. “Mismatched tire inflation on
An in-depth look at steer, drive tire issues
Maintaining proper tire pressures in all positions is a challenge. While automatic tire inflation systems (ATIS) are available for trailer tires, maintaining a constant, and correct, pressure in tractor tires is trickier. Both Meritor and Dana have previewed tractor tire inflation systems, but they are not currently available. Much of maintaining proper tire pressure in
Seven maintenance practices to preserve tire casing integrity
When asked by Fleet Equipment what maintenance practices they would recommend to preserve tire casing integrity, Cooper Tire and Rubber Co. provided an extremely detailed answer, which, while unable to make it into the print story, we thought we would share here so fleets can bolster their knowledge. Here is the full answer from Gary Schroeder, director of
Tire casings that live another day
Fleet managers are well aware that tires make up a significant chunk of their expenses. Tires are the second-highest cost for fleets, behind fuel; clearly, it’s important to have a program in place to manage the tires all the way from cradle to grave. The tire casing is the key to a tire cost management
Getting the most from tire suppliers
Fleet managers know all too well that tires are often one of their biggest expenses. Working with a trusted tire dealer can help fleets manage costs by obtaining quality products and services that are readily available—sometimes over several years (depending on the application)—and helping fleets choose the right tires and services for their specific needs. We
