Tire management is one of the most important tasks in a vehicle fleet. After all, tires have a direct influence on fuel consumption and the road safety of vehicles. In this article, you will learn how tire management is defined, what it means and what measures are part of tire management.
What is tire management?
Tire management describes all measures that contribute to the maintenance and care of vehicle tires in the fleet. The aim is to extend the service life of tires, reduce fuel consumption and ensure safety in the fleet. Efficient tire management also enables companies to optimize operating costs and better meet the requirements of their fleet insurance .
How important is tire management for the fleet?
Well-organized tire management has an impact on the safety and efficiency of the entire fleet . Tires that are in optimum condition help to optimize fuel consumption and reduce operating costs. Driving safety is also a key aspect of tire management in the fleet. This is because it ensures that tires have optimum grip and are replaced before they have reached the minimum tread depth.
How can the service life of tires in the fleet be extended thanks to tire management?
Tires are a major cost factor in a vehicle fleet, and they also contribute significantly to high or low fuel consumption. The following measures are therefore part of tire management:
- Check tire pressure: If the tire pressure is too low or too high, this has a direct influence on wear and fuel consumption
- Check tread depth: Only tires with sufficient tread depth have sufficient grip, especially in winter road conditions
- Rotate tires: Regular tire rotation, approximately every 15,000 km between the different axles, causes the tires to wear more evenly
- Visual inspection of the tires: Foreign objects and signs of wear are detected at an early stage before the tires suffer major damage
- Balancing tires: When changing tires, the tires should also be balanced, otherwise they will wear unevenly
What are the differences between summer, winter and all-season tires?
Summer, winter and all-season tires differ in their construction, rubber compound and tread pattern. This enables them to cope with different weather conditions. Seasonal tire changes are therefore also part of tire management. However, more and more fleet managers are opting for all-season tires for their company vehicles.
Summer tires
Thanks to a harder rubber compound, summer tires have optimum grip at high temperatures and good grip on dry and wet roads. The tread pattern of summer tires efficiently drains water and reduces the risk of aquaplaning. However, as soon as temperatures drop, these tires lose their flexibility and grip is reduced.
New summer tires usually have a tread depth of 7 to 8 millimetres. Only a depth of 1.6 millimeters is required by law. Experts recommend changing tires as soon as the tread depth falls below 3 millimeters.
Winter tires
Winter tires have a softer rubber compound, thanks to which they remain flexible even at low temperatures. This ensures better grip in snow and ice as well as on cold and wet roads. The tread of winter tires is deeper, about 8 to 9 millimeters, and has numerous sipes that dig into the snow and increase traction. Warm temperatures lead to increased wear and impaired driving stability, so employees should not drive on winter tires in summer.
Here too, a minimum tread depth of 1.6 millimeters is prescribed by law. At 4 millimetres, however, it is recommended that the tires be replaced as part of tire management. You can recognize winter tires by the Alpine symbol, which represents a snowflake in front of a mountain with three peaks.
All-season tires
In regions with mild conditions, all-season tires are a good alternative to summer and winter tires. Thanks to their rubber compound and tread pattern, they combine the properties of both tire types and are therefore versatile. To reduce tire management costs, many fleet managers opt for all-season tires. However, they do not offer the same safety and performance in extreme summer or winter conditions.
