Overdrive Magazine | Trucking Business News & Owner Operator Info
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/93143
BUSINESS Extend tire life There's hun- dreds of dollars a year to be saved by careful tire manage- ment. These three areas will ensure that you get your money's worth for every tire – and boost fuel efficiency along the way. Underinflation is a common problem, but don't overinflate tires, either. An overinflated tire sustains rapid and irregular wear and is more susceptible to damage from running over debris and scrubbing curbs. also to look for leaks, punctures, broken valve stems or embedded objects. Apart from damage, tires still lose a pound or two a month from normal use. MAINTAIN PROPER INFLATION. Improper infla- tion is by far the biggest reason why tires wear out prematurely. Daily pre-trip and post-trip inspections provide an opportunity to check pres- sures and PERFORM ROUTINE MAINTENANCE. Proper maintenance of tires, wheels, axles and the steering column will help keep your tire costs down. Wheels naturally lose align- ment and balance. Bushings, shocks, bearings and valve stems wear out. Checking wheel alignment periodically can pay big dividends. If you start seeing a heavy spot or a flat spot, the tire has ceased to be centered on the hub, and it's beading out of round. Whenever you need to scrap a tire, inspect it to determine why it failed. Where possible, take measures to prevent a recurrence. EMPLOY GOOD DRIVING HABITS. Speeding, hard brak- ing, curbing and tight turns cause tires to wear faster or develop irregular wear. On the other hand, steady acceleration, braking and steering can extend tire life. Many problems caused by bad driving habits show up as uneven tire wear. If you notice unusual shimmying or repetitive bumps, inspect your tires. Even absent rough driving, look for irregular tread wear in your daily inspections. 16 | Overdrive | December 2012 GAUGES Two-thirds of fleet managers responding to a June 2012 study by GreenRoad said that all or most of their drivers have smartphones, and a third said drivers are using apps for trucking-related work. Seventeen percent said they plan to deploy a fleet-specific smartphone app within a year. Phone smarts How drivers use smartphones Phone calls E-mail Text messages Taking pictures Navigation Hours of service Confirming deliveries Scanning barcodes Point of sale 5% How many trucks have you owned at once? Among the one-third of owner-operators who say they've owned more than one truck at some point, less than half owned more than two. Only 10 percent of respondents owned more than one truck at the time of the survey last year. Asked why they had gotten rid of the extra equipment, they cited a lack of qualified and reliable drivers. The responses are from a survey by the Mack-Blackwell Rural Transportation Center. 24% 5-6 12% 3-4 Rates erratic, but strengthening Spot market mileage rates in all three segments have had something of a roller- coaster ride in recent years. After a noticeable peak in mid-2008 before the recession started, rates declined. Since summer 2011, they generally have risen despite climbing fuel costs and a sputtering economic recovery. DRY VAN $2.50 $2.25 $2.00 $1.75 $1.50 2005 2006 2007 2008 JANUARY 2009 2010 JULY 2011 2012 FLATBED REEFER 6+ 8% 56% 2 14% 13% 44% 29% 25% 81% 74% 66% Internet Truckstop