Overdrive Magazine | Trucking Business News & Owner Operator Info
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/135388
Business How to spend too much on your tires A fter fuel, tires are your second-biggest variable cost. Practices that optimize tread wear, preserve sidewall strength and lengthen tire life in other ways can save hundreds – if not thousands – of dollars a year. Here are the most common tire threats: UNDERINFLATION. A tire running on low air works harder than intended. The potential for damage accelerates as the tire gets farther from optimum pressure. OVERINFLATION OR OVERLOADING. Overloading a tire produces problems similar to those of underinflation. Never load a tire beyond its rating; instead, adjust air pressure for the load and/or ambient temperature. Hot temperatures increase air pressure; cold temps reduce it. BAD ALIGNMENT. If wheels aren't aligned correctly, tires aren't rolling straight down the road. Wear will accelerate. POOR SUSPENSION MAINTENANCE. Neglecting the suspension system will create a snowball effect as tires face uneven stresses every few seconds. This can produce uneven and accelerated tread wear, as well as sidewall damage. IMPROPER MOUNTING/ DEMOUNTING. This includes practices such as using starting fluid or tools with rough edges, failing to clean the wheel or inspect the tire to make certain it hasn't been damaged or overstressed, and replacing the core seal rather than reusing the old one. Deeper tread usually lasts longer, but because it is slightly flexible, it also tends to yield lower fuel economy. A tire dealer can recommend the best tread patterns for steer, drive and trailer positions, as well as what's best suited for your application. IMPROPER REPAIR. Never allow a rope (patch) repair to serve as a permanent fix for a puncture. TIRE UNSUITED TO THE APPLICATION. Only a few tires are designed to work in more than one position or application. The wrong tire or tread will not be nearly as durable as the right one. Gauges 2013 spot rates continue to climb Diesel's 1,000-week uphill roller-coaster In April, rates rose across all three segments for the second consecutive month, led by a 7-cent jump for spot market reefer rates, which now have risen 24 cents per mile since February after falling the prior three months. Van has jumped 17 cents in the same span, and flatbed hit its highest point since August. DRY VAN FLATBED REEFER May 13 marked the 1,000th week that the U.S. Department of Energy has reported weekly diesel price data. Diesel first passed $2 in September 2004 and has stayed that high since, save for 10 weeks late that year. It first topped $3 in October 2005 after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Between July 21, 2008, and March 16, 2009, the average price dropped more than $2.70; that streak began the week after the all-time high price. Average 1,000-week price: $2.121 Highest price: $4.764, July 14, 2008 Lowest price: 95.3 cents, Feb. 22, 1999 Largest weekly increase: 34.6 cents on Oct. 5, 2005 Largest weekly decrease: 28.1 cents on Oct. 31, 2005 Average price during 1990s: $1.138 $2.50 $2.25 Internet Truckstop $2.00 $1.75 $1.50 April 2011 April 2012 April 2013 11,700 That's the amount of jobs the for-hire trucking industry added in April, continuing an overall trend of steady gains from March 2010's bottom. The industry since has added 151,600 jobs, but is still 67,800 jobs below January 2007's peak. The economy as a whole added 165,000 nonfarm jobs in April, following a gain of 138,000 jobs in March. 28 | Overdrive | June 2013 Business_Lead_0613.indd 28 5/28/13 9:46 PM