Combat rising fuel prices with correct tyre inflation - Stuart Jackson
Issue: Winter 2010
With the recent increase in fuel duty helping to push fuel prices to a yearly high, commercial vehicle operators should remember that not only can they stay safe on the road but they can also improve their fleet efficiency by keeping their tyres correctly inflated.
A major tyre manufacturer and member of TyreSafe recently carried out research which found that driving on tyres that are just 10 psi under the recommended pressure can increase fuel consumption by 2.5%, potentially adding tens of thousands of pounds annually to a fleet’s running costs. By keeping tyres at their correct pressures, fleets can travel further on each tank of fuel, reduce their CO2 emissions and stay safer.
Ensuring that tyres are correctly inflated costs nothing yet can save fleets significant sums of money. Pressures should be checked every time the vehicle leaves the workshop, or at the very least once a week. By adjusting them to the recommended levels, significant improvements in road safety can be made but also drivers will see a reduction in their fuel consumption, helping to offset the recent rise in fuel duty.
When tyres are under-inflated, the contact patch with the road surface gets larger, causing increased drag, which in turn places more load on the engine. Keeping tyres correctly inflated minimises this negative effect and ensures that the truck continues to operate safely.
As well as increasing fuel costs, running underinflated tyres adds further expense to fleets as the tyres wear out quicker. At lower levels of underinflation, the tyre’s contact patch with the road surface is reduced to two small areas towards the outer edges of the tread. With the full vehicle load placed on these areas, the tread wears at a much higher rate, drastically reducing the performance of the tyre and forcing replacement much sooner than would otherwise have been needed. By running tyres at just 80% of the recommended pressure, fleets can expect tyre life to be reduced to around 75%. If the pressure falls to 60%, hauliers can expect to achieve just 35% of the potential mileage from the tyre.
When tyres are run under-inflated, excessive heat builds up inside the tyre which can increase the likelihood of a tyre blowout. This is incredibly dangerous for the driver who has to control the vehicle as well as other motorists who are forced to avoid any tyre debris left in the carriageway. Additionally, fitting a replacement tyre on a motorway hard shoulder is a highly dangerous activity for those involved. Furthermore, vehicle downtime caused by a tyre failure can lead to missed delivery slots resulting in significant penalty payments.
To help commercial vehicle operators gain a better understanding of tyre safety issues, TyreSafe has recently added some dedicated truck tyre pages to its website including a downloadable safety information leaflet. These can be found by visiting www.tyresafe.org
TyreSafe’s top tips for checking tyre pressures correctly:
1. Check the pressure of HGV tyres before they leave the workshop, or once a week if the vehicle is a frequent visitor.
2. Check the pressure in all tyres not forgetting any spares.
3. Tyre pressures should be checked against the vehicle manufacturer’s recommended pressure for the axle loads (or the tyre manufacturer’s recommended operating pressures).
4. Check the pressure when tyres are cold or when the vehicle has travelled less than two miles.
5. Use a reliable and accurate pressure gauge.
6. Ensure that valve extensions are fitted and working for inner twins.
Stuart Jackson is Chairman of TyreSafe, the not-for-profit organisation dedicated to raising awareness of the importance of the dangers of defective and worn ty res. The organisation was awarded the Prince Michael International Road Safety Award in 2009 in recognition of its work.
For further information, contact TyreSafe on Tel: 0845 301 6852 or visit: http://www.tyresafe.org/
Published: 21/01/2010
