Clear the Air

To help implement those compliance plans, tire dealers should offer fleet and truck operators and their maintenance shops tools like Goodyear's TV TRACK to help them capture and retain vital statistics, such as remaining tread life on existing tires. Truck and fleet operators can then use this information to determine which trucks should have their tires replaced first. The information can also help fleets and their tire dealers choose the right low rolling resistance tires to meet the company's operational needs.

Dealers should also help fleet and truck operators develop maintenance practices that will help them extend the operational life of their tire casings.

As for retreads, SmartWay hasn't yet completed evaluation of retreaded low rolling resistance tire casings.

However, by using tools currently available from tire manufacturers like Goodyear, specifying the right tires for their operation and by adopting effective tire maintenance plans, fleet and truck operators can get the most value out of their casings when it comes time to trade them in.

Tim Miller is Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.'s commercial truck tire marketing manager. He has worked for Goodyear for more than 35 years in various positions. He spent eight years as a tire design engineer before taking positions as a technical representative to OEM truck manufacturers and several large and national commercial tire customers.