Strategic tire management reduces costly blowouts
There are many elements that go into ensuring that tires meet safety standards so that a blowout doesn’t become a big issue. One such element is that trucking companies can use tire management software or fleet management software with tire management capabilities to improve tire health and monitor tire conditions across the fleet. With real-time insight, drivers can be directed to take appropriate corrective actions, improving safety and reducing costs associated with tire-related issues.
Blowouts by the numbers
Traffic accidents are bound to happen for one reason or another, and a hefty portion are attributed to tire-related issues. “Unfortunately, tire blowouts often lead to accidents that injure and kill thousands of people each year. According to the latest statistics reported by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), tire blowouts cause 78,392 accidents, 10,275 injuries and more than 400 deaths each year,” per Studinski Law. Of these accidents, roughly 8,000 are large truck crashes, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) Large Truck Crash Causation Study.
The death and injury numbers are concerning, especially given the safety-focused nature of public and private fleets alike, but there are also cost concerns related to such accidents that impact future safety and productivity initiatives. According to Tandem Brite, “The average cost of a tire blowout on a semi-truck can range from $400 for a simple tire replacement to upwards of $300,000 when factoring in the potential for vehicle damage, cargo loss and associated downtime.”
Proper tire management is a key element in improving safety on the road, but the more widely spread fleet assets are, the harder it can be to keep up with tire care.
Understanding causes of blowouts
Tire management hinges on a keen understanding of the causes of tire failures and blowouts. Of course, there’s routine wear and tear, but road conditions can also greatly affect tire health, not only wearing the tread down quicker but causing unexpected damage.
Of the major causes of tire issues, poor preventive maintenance (PM) probably ranks highest—especially when it comes to mitigating the risk of a tire failure or blowout. Under-inflation, over-inflation and failing to change out tires at the appropriate time all fall under the PM category. One thing that can often go overlooked when it comes to tire management is brand durability. Fleets experiencing a high volume of tire issues may need to rethink their tire procurement strategy and start looking for alternatives that hold up better to the daily grind.
Tire management software
A recent poll conducted by Fleetio on LinkedIn showed that vehicle maintenance was the top challenge for 40% of respondents, so it makes sense that many fleets are moving from PM spreadsheets to fleet maintenance and/or management technologies. With more solutions available today than ever before, fleets have their pick of the litter when it comes to choosing something that will meet their specific need and ensure safety, productivity and improved profit margins. When it comes to selecting a fleet solution—especially geared toward reducing tire issues—there are a few things to look for:
Tire management functionality
Being able to keep track of tire health and service histories makes tire management much easier. The ability to monitor indicators of tire health, such as tread depth, air pressure, mileage and age helps prevent tire failures and blowouts, and enabling drivers to report issues from anywhere using a mobile app doesn’t hurt either. In fact, it becomes an added layer of safety, as managers can review the reported issue in real time and determine if the asset needs to go to the shop to avoid a critical failure. A robust tire management feature should also allow fleets to quickly and easily log the exact axle and position of tire installations while maintaining detailed records showing how and when a specific asset’s tires are serviced. Using these service histories can provide insights into high- and low-performing tire brands and/or types so fleets can ensure they’re making the best investments.
Inspections with real-time issue alerts
Inspections are a huge part of keeping assets healthy and operational, and are often touted as the first line of defense in this regard. A fleet technology offering digital inspections provides the added benefit of automatically alerting management to failed inspection items. This helps fleets catch tire issues like under/over-inflation, low tread or damage to the sidewall or wheel well before the asset hits the road for the day.
PM scheduling with automated reminders
As previously mentioned, PM is a major challenge for fleets, so technologies that provide comprehensive maintenance management features can prove quite valuable. The ability to create service schedules for both assets with unique needs and entire asset groups—with the latter being based on mileage, asset type, asset age, etc.—can alleviate some of the headache involved with maintenance management, especially when combined with automated due soon alerts for upcoming service needs. This functionality can greatly reduce the risk of PM falling by the wayside and improve asset safety and uptime.
Because tire failures and blowouts are such a high-safety, high-cost risk, strategic tire management should be a priority. While this issue can’t be done away with completely, the risks of it can be significantly reduced through stringent PM and the ability of drivers to raise the alert in real time when they encounter a problem. Choosing a tire management technology that makes the most sense for the fleet’s needs is a key component of reducing tire-related accidents, improving safety and increasing uptime which, ultimately, can have a positive effect on profit margins.
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