Magazine for the professional tire industry
Issue link: https://mtd.epubxp.com/i/328077
47 www.moderntiredealer.com • They have automatic tire inflation systems on 28,000 single-axle 28-foot trailers and dollies. • Tire pressure: 85 psi because the trailers run very light loads. Major challenges: Geting consistent feet inspections with tire conditions and pressure checks. FedEx Ground is currently looking for ways to improve the accuracy and frequency of tire in- spections with data-driven solutions through onboard pressure monitoring and telematics. Crete Carrier Corp. Lincoln, Neb. • Fleet: 12,500 tandem trailers and 5,000 power units with 150,000 wheel position across three company divisions van, fat and refrigerated. • Crete retreads an average of 2.5 times per tire up to six years of casing age. • All new and retreaded tires are Smart- Way-verifed; 295/75R-22.5 is the pre- dominant size. • Tire pressure: 110 psi on steer tires, 100 psi on drive tires and 95 psi on trailer tires. • Crete has a mounted inventory program and actively conducts scrap tire analysis. Major challenges: Having enough time to evaluate tires. Tire inspections are difcult because the equipment isn't in ofen enough. Crete lacks the ability to track casings from cradle to grave. Tey lose a lot of casings in over-the-road repairs so they lose twice — no casing value and loss of failure analysis. South Shore Carriers, Sandusky, Ohio • Fleet: 200 power units, 450 trailers, mostly fatdecks. Local/regional carrier with 240-mile average length-of-haul mostly loaded one way, return empty. • South Shore retreads casings up to seven years old. Steer tires are retreaded the frst time for drive positions; drive tires are retreaded frst time for drive position and second time for trailer position. • Te company runs spread-axle fatdecks, which are hard on tires because of the dragging that occurs in turns. Tat's what makes retreading difcult. • Wide-base single tires are retreaded once for drive positions. • Te company runs mostly 11R22.5 dual tires, though it recently purchased some used equipment on low-profle 22.5 tires, so it's starting to move in that direction. Sixty power units are currently running 455-size wide-base single tires because of weight sensitivity. South Shore runs 100 psi in all tires except wide-base singles, which are 125 psi. • Currently using automatic tire infation on 50% of the feet and installing on all new equipment. Major challenges: Trying to get driv- ers to check tire pressure and condition during pre-and post-trip inspections and avoid curbing the trailer tires. Exploring ways of lowering tire cost per mile. Batesville Logistics Inc., Batesville, Ind. • Fleet: 82 tandem tractors, 311 pup trailers, 117 53-foot trailers running low-profle 22.5 low-rolling-resistance Quik-Link: 800-687-1557 ext. 17126