Commercial Tire Essentials: A Guide for Fleet Managers
September 2, 2024
Fleet managers are the conductors of the logistics orchestra that plays each day on the stages of our roads and highways. When you think about the number of moving parts a fleet manager is responsible to manage, it’s easy to understand why Ironman is honored to serve our commercial fleet manager customers.
Fleet tire management and compliance with tire safety regulations goes a long way to not only ensuring fleet safety but also to customer delight and company profitability. In that spirit, here is a short guide fleet managers can use to make sure they are getting the most out of their commercial vehicle tires.
What to look for when buying medium-duty commercial vehicle tires
Tread Design
Knowing the terrain over which your fleet will be traveling is essential to selecting tires that are both appropriate and cost-effective. Long-haul tread design looks very different from regional pick-up and last mile delivery tread design. If you have both types of vehicles in your fleet, you’ll want to make a strategic decision because it will impact safety, cost-efficiency, performance, and overall fleet management effectiveness.
Fuel Efficiency
The right tires can help to reduce fuel consumption. Look for tires with low rolling resistance or rolling friction, meaning they require less energy to spin as you drive. This may seem like a small consideration, but those slight improvements across your entire fleet can add up to some serious cost savings. Some tires, like the Ironman I-Series Gen 2 I-48T, also feature fuel-saving compounds to minimize heat and reduce rolling position, leading to better fuel economy.
Commercial Tire Warranty
For added peace of mind when making a decision about the right tires the warranty is an important consideration. Key elements of commercial tire warranties include items like casing allowances, limited protection policies and workmanship and materials coverage.
How to maintain commercial vehicle tires for fleet safety and profitability
Tire Pressure
Maintaining proper tire pressure is essential in complying with tire safety regulations as well as ensuring fleet safety and profitability. Underinflated tires can negatively impact fuel economy as well as rolling resistance. Include pressure checks in your weekly inspections to best balance effort and performance.
Rotation and Alignment
Tires wear differently based on their location, and vehicle suspensions fall out of alignment over time. Expand your inspection to look for rotation needs but also at the suspension system to see if misalignment is causing irregular tire wear.
Tire Maintenance Schedule
Developing and following a fleet tire management program ensures that you get the most out of your tire investment and that your people and vehicles operate with minimal downtime. Changes in seasons and route terrain may require this plan to be adapted over time.
By considering these factors, fleet managers can rest assured that their company’s commercial vehicle tire investments will contribute to fleet safety and long-term profitability.
Why Drivers Choose I-Series Gen 2 by Ironman Tires
Did you know? Ironman’s I-Series Gen 2 commercial tire line offers designs tailored for short-haul to long-haul applications. The I-Series Gen 2 tires are upgraded versions of Ironman Tires commercial products you may already be familiar with.
This second generation maintains the quality and reliability of the originals but with new features like enhanced compounds and modern tread patterns. With increased size offerings and a tire for every position, there’s no need to mix tires when you can outfit your medium truck with our full line.
Find out more on these new and revamped tires on our commercial tires page or in our product portfolio.