Take proactive measures to keep your tires in top shape, whether retread or brand new, and, together we will benefit our communities, our environment, your bottom line and help your crews arrive at their destinations safely.
Kyle Chen
You have seen them along major roads and highways and, as professionals tasked with keeping our communities clean, you are probably more familiar with them than most: rubber gators. These piles of mangled rubber and wire lay lifeless alongside the road and, often, passersby assume they are retread tires (otherwise known as “retreads”). The common misconception that retreads are of lesser quality than new tires inaccurately leads the average driver to assume retreads are the culprit behind roadside tire debris.
Nothing could be further from the truth. With a proper tire maintenance program, retreads are safe and reliable to use. Here are a few of the most common myths debunked with proven facts about retreads:
Myth 1: Retreads are Unsafe
Fact: Retreads are safe and reliable. If we look around, 98 percent of school buses and many emergency vehicles use retread tires. As per the Tire Retread & Repair Bureau (TRIB), nearly 80 percent of all aircraft tires in service in the U.S. are retreads.
Myth 2: All Road Gators are Caused by Retreads
Fact: In 2009, the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute1 found that improper tire maintenance is the leading cause of all tire debris found on roadsides. The scrap rubber seen on the road is almost always the result of poor air pressure maintenance or road hazards resulting in a tire casing failure and, is usually not a result of the retread process.
Let’s focus on tire casing failure and how to prevent road gators. To extend the life of tires, fleets must establish and implement a proactive and effective tire maintenance program.
Proactive Tire Maintenance is Key
Refuse companies expect a lot out of their tires—both new and retread. From the constant stop-and-go, twisting and turning rounds in local neighborhoods to heavy hauls to landfills, tires play a crucial role in supporting a fundamental service industry in our communities.
Proactive tire maintenance can help refuse fleets to keep their tires rolling and cut downtime costs. To ensure that tires and casings are kept in the best condition possible and have the opportunity for multiple retreads over their lifetime, drivers should follow the below tips:
- Set and maintain proper cold inflation pressures for each tire. Cold inflation pressure is the inflation pressure of tires before they are driven, which has a direct impact on tire efficiency. Inflation pressure should be set to guidelines established by the tire manufacturer and be checked before and after each shift to ensure tires are running as efficiently as possible.
- Routinely rotate tires. By rotating tires and ensuring each tire is properly mounted and matched to its dual in both diameter and inflation pressure, fleets can achieve maximum tire life.
- Regularly inspect tires for any road-related damage, proper inflation pressure and adequate tread depth. Take time before each shift to perform an inflation pressure check with a tire pressure gauge, a tread depth measurement and a visual and hands-on inspection. Look for cuts, cracks, bulges and penetrations. Catching an issue early can help prevent downtime later. Your local tire dealer can perform a more in-depth inspection of your tires to alert you to maintenance, operational or adjustable issues.
- Drive at the recommended speed for your tires. Each tire has a maximum speed rating based on load weight and the design of the tire. Be sure to pay close attention to tire speed ratings before beginning a haul.
Retreading is recycling, requiring fewer raw materials and less oil to manufacture than new tires. Additionally, premium retread brands retread 7 million casings every year, keeping 1 billion pounds of tire waste out of landfills. It is our responsibility as members of the commercial trucking industry to ensure that we are doing business in the most responsible way for our teams and communities, and that starts with tires—where the rubber meets the road.
Take proactive measures to keep your tires in top shape, whether retread or brand new, and, together, we will benefit our communities, our environment, your bottom line and help your crews arrive at their destinations safely.
Kyle Chen is Marketing Manager of Bandag, Inc.. A 20-year industry veteran, Kyle started out in a fleet and dealer sales roles with Bandag, then with Bridgestone when Bandag was acquired, moving into his current role three years ago. For more information, visit www.bandag.com.