Overdrive Magazine | Trucking Business News & Owner Operator Info
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/490954
THIS YEAR'S ACTIVITIES: FREE TRUCK PARKING • Shuttle bus transportation to convention center • Showers, food vendors and exhibitor demos • RV parking (no hook-ups) FIT FOR THE ROAD HEALTH & WELLNESS PAVILION This pavilion will provide products, information, free services and education to assist you on the road to better health. • Free health screenings • Cooking demos ȏΖQFDEȴWQHVVGHPRV • Healthy food options • Health-related vendors RECRUITING PAVILION • Expanded pavilion with more recruiters • Find your next job ȏ/HDUQDERXWȵHHWGULYHUSDFNDJHV OVERDRIVE'S PRIDE & POLISH • National Championship at GATS • Best of show winners from the past Pride & Polish events compete for the grand prize • Show trucks from across the country on display PRIDE & POLISH STAGE Stage hosting numerous sessions that will excite and educate: • Truckers Got Talent contest • Pride & Polish award presentation • Partners in Business educational sessions • And more! RED EYE RADIO • Daily meet and greets and celebrity appearances • Live performances at the booth • Prize give-aways and drawings For a complete schedule of events, educational seminars and an exhibitor list, visit gatsonline.com. 46 | Overdrive | April 2015 fuel economy improvements. While wide-based tires consistently deliver enhanced fuel economy, it has to be noted that in some applications, duals KIVJMR][\I[N]MTMٻKQMV\I[_QLM based singles." Paul Crehan, director of prod- uct marketing for Michelin Truck Tires, believes the tires' value is more pronounced. He cites several reasons to convert to a 10-wheel ^MPQKTMKWVÅO]ZI\QWV"N]MT[I^QVO[ increased payload, driver satisfaction, minimized downtime, retreadability, consistent trade-in value, increased productivity, meeting current regula- tions and being "green." "We do not believe there are any disadvantages to running wide-based single tires," Crehan says. "Owner-op- erators will be in good company and RWQVP]VLZML[WNÆMM\[IVL\PW][IVL[ of experienced truck drivers who are saving millions of gallons of fuel and eliminating hundreds of thousands of pressure checks and rotations by switching to a wide-based single." 7VMWN\PW[M[I\Q[ÅMLW_VMZ operators is Andy Soucy, leased to Landstar. Soucy started running wide Converting a pair of duals to a single can be expensive, with costs ranging from $2,000 to $4,000 for tires and rims. But once you have the single tires, you could save about $200 every time you buy a wide single instead of two duals. What's the fuel payback in convert- ing? Conservative estimates say tractors fi tted with wide-based singles see fuel economy increases of about 3/10th of a gallon per mile. At a conservative $400 a year in fuel savings, owner-operator Andy Soucy says his wide singles easily paid for themselves – as well as the next set of tires – by the time he replaced them at 330,000 miles. His second set has 200,000 miles and 75 percent of the tread left. Tire makers report that for overall durability, wide singles have lifespans on par with dual tires. Over the past three to four years, the demand for wide-based singles has been driven primarily by high fuel costs, improved freight effi ciencies, environmen- tal concerns and the anticipated impact of regulations, says Paul Crehan of Michelin Truck Tires. "With rising fuel and operations costs, the fact that the Michelin X One tire can save up to 10 percent in fuel and almost 200 pounds per axle is well accepted and understood by fl eets," Crehan says. The primary fuel economy benefi t realized by wide-based singles is due to reduced sidewall fl exing, says Matt Loos of Bridgestone-Firestone. "Tire sidewalls naturally create drag," he says. "Reducing the number of sidewalls in the drive position on a tractor by half naturally pays a dividend in fuel economy." The weight advantage varies by appli- cation but typically is cited as the primary advantage by those running wide-based tires, Loos says. "You're looking at a weight savings from 35 to 75 pounds compared to a pair of duals," he says. When switching from steel dual rims to aluminum singles, the weight savings can be more dramatic – as much as 1,200 pounds if trailer wheel conversions are included. "This is really an attractive solution for bulk haulers who need to max out on payload, as compared to a truckload carrier who tends to cube out of space before they reach their payload capacity," Loos says. Also, with more fl eets using wide singles for fuel and weight savings, the used truck market is seeing more vehicles with wide singles. "This presents another advantage to used truck purchasers – to be able to acquire the new technology of wide single tires without the conversion cost of retrofi tting," Crehan says. Where conversion is needed, used truck dealers often can work that cost into the loan, he says. DUALS VS. WIDE SINGLES: RUNNING THE NUMBERS SINGLES ROLLING STEADY