Page 6 - CTB N11 - 2015-03

NEWS
ATS Euromaster Launches New MasterCARE Package
reassurance and
reinforcing our
duty of care. Plus
the impressive
traction doesn’t
come at the
expense of
increased rolling
resistance – we
still get great fuel
performance
too,” he adds.
The D Steven &
Son fleet is on
the road up to
seven days a week, with tractor units typically clocking up around 100,000 miles per annum, operating UK-wide and as far afield as France and Germany. They run with a mix of reefer, curtainside and flatbed trailers, each on 385/65 R 22.5 Michelin X Multi T fitments.
Tyres are supplied by the closest Michelin Truck Professional dealer, Invergordon Tyres, with D Steven & Son drivers collecting Michelin new and Remix tyres from the dealer en route back to base. Tyres are then fitted, managed and regrooved in house, with near 100 per cent regroove rates – following onsite regrooving training provided directly by Michelin’s Technical team.
The company also receives quarterly visits from Michelin’s local Truck Sales Area Manager, Michael MacMurray,
ATS Euromaster has launched MasterCARE, a new service package for cars, 4x4s, vans, trucks, trailers, buses and coaches designed to provide easy access to a range of preemptive tyre safety checks. The package is focused on scheduled, electronically managed
enabling operators to identify careless driver behaviour through wear patterns or excessive tread loss – and take action to address it. This helps fleet operators to cut their costs and avoid expensive and inconvenient downtime. Mike Williams, Head of National
tyre inspections to minimise the risk of tyre failures and prolong tyre life, through optimal tyre maintenance and identifying potential service issues before they lead to vehicle downtime. MasterCARE comes with a variety of service options, including checks of tread depths, valve caps and tyre pressures by expert technicians, along with general visual damage checks, ensuring no potential tyre issue is missed. Once completed, ATS Euromaster provides an electronic report detailing tyre condition, work carried out at the time and what anticipated remedial work will be required in the near future.
The management reports also contain valuable information highlighting the most costly vehicles to maintain,
Accounts at ATS Euromaster, says: “Every fleet is dependent on drivers performing daily walk-around checks to identify problems with vehicles before they become significant or pose safety risks. But with MasterCARE, those drivers are supported with a second regular inspection from a true tyre expert. It provides the peace of mind that all tyres are safe, legal and being properly maintained, and with thorough reporting is perfect for multi-site operations, where fleet managers traditionally might not be able to get a comprehensive overview of all vehicle operations.” MasterCARE is available now on all vehicle types, from all ATS Euromaster centres across the country.
who carries out detailed fleet inspections and pressure checks, reporting on tyre condition and managing the return of worn casings to the Remix factory in Stoke-on-Trent. Remix tyres are fitted to drive and trailer axles, to ensure maximum mileage performance from each casing. Mr Steven concludes: “Michelin tyres cost a little more up front, but when you factor in the long life, reliability and confidence they give our drivers, the total cost of ownership is very competitive.”
D Steven & Son operates a high profile Highland fleet, with much of its work coming from the seafood, oil and agricultural industries. Amongst many awards won over the years include Top Trailer Fleet 2012 and Temperature Controlled Operator of the Year 2015 in the Transport News Scottish Rewards.
UUG3 Meeting Date Announced
The third UniSerV User Group meeting, hosted by CAM, will take place to coincide with the NTDA dinner on 1 October, with a session at St John’s Hotel in Solihull at 13:30 aimed at continuing to develop operational efficiencies in the commercial tyre industry.
The event will be attended by some 21 independent UniSerV
users, with a focus on e-
jobsheet to UniSerV
integration and a presentation by Bridgestone on its Tyre Management System replacement and integration into CAM’s TiDaeXTM hub to link into UniSerV.
Anne Sherwood, group business support manager of Tructyre Fleet Management, who chairs the UUG meetings, says, “The presentation by Bridgestone is an important step for our UUG meeting, as it will demonstrate how
Bridgestone sees this model as the benchmark for operational efficiencies between UniSerV users and third party customers. We are entering a very exciting period in the commercial tyre business in the UK and we firmly believe our panel of influential UniSerV users can lead the way.”
Michelin Tyres Keep Remote Scottish Haulier on the Move
The most northerly haulage company on the UK mainland is continuing to fit Michelin tyres as original equipment and replacements across its 30-strong heavy truck fleet, nearly 100 years after its Michelin policy began. Scrabster-based D Steven & Son, which also has depots in Wick, Aberdeen and Glasgow, specifies Michelin’s latest generation 315/80 R 22.5 X MultiWay 3D tyres on its prime movers – all of which are under three years old – claiming the fitments ensure mobility in extreme wet weather and snowy conditions. Managing Director David Steven says his family business has always put its
faith in Michelin tyres. “When your fleet is based around 80 miles from the nearest stretch of dual carriageway and you have 44-tonne artics negotiating steep, tight and twisty roads, having confidence in your tyres is paramount.
“If you fit cheap rubber you can compromise your mobility, plus you are at greater risk of tyre-related downtime. In the winter our drivers frequently pass trucks stopped at the roadside, unable to continue in the conditions.
“In contrast the Michelin X MultiWay 3D tyres keep our fleet moving safely, giving our drivers maximum
6 Commercial Tyre Business