Fleets Seek to Control Tire Costs

ith tire costs ranking as the third-largest operational expense for trucking companies, behind fuel and labor, fleets increasingly are looking to manufacturers to help them find ways of containing their costs, tire makers said.

According to manufacturers, tires account for about 25% of a fleet’s overall maintenance expenses.

The typical fleet would have at least one breakdown per year for every vehicle in its fleet, with roughly 60% to 65% of those breakdowns tire-related, according to David Kolasinsky, manager of truck tire marketing at Bridgestone/Firestone North American Tire, Nashville, Tenn.