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Copyright
© 2001 FleetWatch magazine and FleetWatch On-Line.
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Every transporter will agree that when it comes to safety on the road, tyres and brakes are the first things to inspect before hitting the highway. The industries that supply these components pride themselves on their use of cutting edge technology to design and manufacture truck products that not only save lives but also improve efficiencies.
Maximising payload and decreasing running costs as far as possible are the two critical success factors of any commercial transport operation. When it comes to getting extended service life out of truck components, proper management of moving parts is crucial. Replacement intervals of these parts need to be extended to effectively lower cost-per-kilometer (CPK). Two major players in the CPK equation are brakes and tyres. Both, if not properly maintained and managed, will devour large chunks of operating profit.
Tyres are completely different today from say, twenty years ago. From tubes to tubeless, steel radial to super-single, the ever-changing trucking environment has driven tyre manufacturers to produce rubber that lasts longer, holds the road better, resists punctures and recycles cheaper.
Brake technology has also come along in leaps and bounds over the last decade. Anti-lock braking systems (ABS) and EBS (electronic braking systems), retarders and other engine-driven braking systems have changed the way drivers operate their rigs. These new technologies, to a large degree, have changed the face of commercial transport. This special interest report compiled by Paul
Collings, looks at the issues and trends driving the brake and tyre industries.
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