An independent tyre expert has come out this week saying the wrong type of person is often in tyre choice roles, looking to cut costs, which can lead to unforeseen problems. Brad Bearman of Bears Tyres said he can cite one example of such a person in a fleet management role at a large refrigerated transport company who is making decisions on tyres beyond his capabilities and costing the transport company dearly.
“Many people that think they know about tyres but it’s a far more complex challenge, and only long term experience can teach you the intricacies, the hidden detail, and the consequences of taking the wrong action,” said Bearman “In this particular case, when trailer hub meters broke down they chose not to replace them. Then went one step further and purchased new trailers without a hub meter, which is a foolish move.”
According to Bearman, the hub meter is like a speedometer for trailers, helping in the maintenance of brakes, tyres, axles and general maintenance of trailers.
“Therefore, they are actually costing the company money in the long run just by making naive decisions mandatorily rather than discussing options with a trained, industry expert.”
Bearman used this example to try and illustrate the virtues of systems like his own Bears Tyre Tracker which, he said, logs distances and advises rotations at optimised moments of each tyre’s lifespan for all types of transport. The tracker has been developed in-house by his brand-neutral company for national use and, it is claimed, apart from enhancing tyre life, delivers cost breakdowns for each tyre at a cpk level.
“Companies are now employing those who talk a lot but lack true experience and technological know-how to maintain the tyres as an asset,” said Bearman. “Like the example above where trailers were unwisely purchased without hub meters, there is a relentless ‘chase for cheap’ rather than proper asset management.
“This is just one example of a huge list of glaringly obvious mistakes made by fleet managers, and sometimes even the executive managers, who wrongly believe they have adequate knowledge to oversee outcomes only an industry expert can achieve.”
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