A CHASTENING statistic for SME fleet operators operating commercial vehicles is that one in three of vans regularly checked by tyre and maintenance provider ATS Euromaster needs attention.
ATS says longer run time, often on a 24/7 cycle, is creating the additional wear. Adding to the tyre wear are those delivery vans often working in narrow city streets that are constantly bumping up and down kerbs.
It could be general wear, a puncture, or particularly with dotcom vans, damage to the tyre wall.
Gordon said the company inspected 5,800 vehicles a month – including online delivery fleets from companies such as Tesco – and that on average 32% of vans need actionable maintenance.
Prolonging Tyre Life, Through 'Spinning The Wheel'
It’s not all additional SMR costs for van fleets, though. Gordon says that where possible they will look to increase the life of the tyre and reduce operator costs. At £200 a pop for a typical 235/65 size replacement tyre, this will be welcome news to SME fleet managers.
For example, this might involve spinning the tyres - where we switch the outside of the tyre wall to the inside - which is becoming common practice as many of these vans spend their time bouncing up and down kerbs while making their home deliveries.
ATS says its Mastercare tyre maintenance programme programme was originally focused on heavier commercial vehicles, but increasingly fleets are using it for heavily worked vans.
It points out that with the chip crisis and lack of replacement vehicles extending current vehicle life beyond originally planned SMR parameters, more vehicle maintenance is required.
Mastercare provides duty of care for the customer - while fleets also benefit from getting the maximum life out of tyres. It’s all about managing tyre life and ensuring vehicle downtime is minimised.
ATS Euromaster says its Mastercare service provides fleet managers with a global view of their fleet’s tyre condition status with recommended remedial work, vehicles that require an inspection and an historical overview of actioned items. Gordon adds:
As the age of the fleet has grown with the chip crisis, the need for inspection is high on the agenda for fleet managers.
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