Page 26 - CTB N15 - 2016-03

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Commercial Tyre Business
BUS & COACH TYRES
CommercialTyre
Management
and Fleet Business
Conti Highlights Benefits of TPMS for Coach Operators
Research by Continental Tyres shows that as many as one in four coach tyres may be running underinflated by 10%. This not only leads to higher fuel costs but contributes to the likelihood of tyre failure, which is currently responsible for 20% of all coach breakdowns.
As part of Continental’s strategy to provide customers with safe, reliable and efficient solutions for their transport needs, Ian Jackson, Technical, Sales & Services Manager for Continental Tyre Group discusses how the correct application of a tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS) such as ContiPressureCheck can positively impact business.
Question: What are the benefits to customers of using a TPMS?
Ian Jackson: Safety is of course the primary benefit as the system will pre-warn the driver of any temperature or inflation issues. Larger commercial vehicles obviously have quite a distance between where the driver is sitting and the tyres themselves, so it is
ContiPressureCheckTM 20%
of truck breakdowns
are caused by tyre failure
1 in 4 of tyres on truck fleets are underinflated by 10% ContiPressureCheckTM helps...
Question: What are the benefits of using the ContiPressureCheck system specifically?
Ian Jackson: The main benefit with ContiPressureCheck is that it is constantly transmitting live data, continually pre-empting any
refueling, depending on where the system is installed. However, a long distance coach operator may prefer to have live data streamed to the driver, to ensure real time assessment of the tyres’ condition when away from base. But what is worth bearing in mind is that it
Automatic recognition of multiple trailers with Automatic Trailer Learning feature
Reduce
tyre breakdowns
Monitor up to 6 axles/ 24 tyres
Telematics compatible
Increase tyre life
6 years sensor battery life
Improve safety
Real time tyre pressure
& temperature monitoring
CO2
Lower fuel & carbon emissions
important for them to be aware of the condition of their tyres. The Continental TPMS – ContiPressureCheck - provides live pressure data and additional warnings at the point where there has been both a 10% and then 20% reduction in air pressure inside the tyre, notifying the driver of a problem. ContiPressureCheck allows for the safe resolution of a potential tyre incident, allowing the driver to stop at a service station or off the road before the situation becomes critical. In addition to inflation pressure, ContiPressureCheck also constantly measures temperature. Should spikes in temperature occur, which when investigated cannot be attributed to the tyres, this flags potential mechanical issues such as binding brake or wheel bearing failures, which are costly and dangerous problems if left untreated. As tyre inflation pressure directly contributes to the vehicle’s overall fuel efficiency, providing the ability to constantly monitor this offers the operator the opportunity to reduce their fuel costs.
90% of tyre related breakdowns are preceded by an undetected slow puncture
Warns driver of tyre pressure loss immediately
10% tyre under-inflation leads to ca. 3% increase in fuel consumption
potential issues in real time. Additionally, the ContiPressureCheck sensor is attached to the inside the tyre itself, which improves measurement accuracy. Devices which are strapped to a metal wheel rim will be more susceptible to heat transfer during braking, making it difficult to monitor the temperature effectively. Other systems where sensors are attached to the valves have the issue that the primary air seal is removed and instead rely entirely on the O-ring. A unique benefit of the Continental system is the partnership between the company’s tyre and automotive systems divisions. Our ContiPressureCheck system has been specifically designed from a tyre manufacturer’s point of view. We understand how a tyre behaves and what factors routinely effect its performance, so we built a TPMS with those in mind.
Question: Is there a particular kind of fleet business that would most benefit from ContiPressureCheck fitment?
Ian Jackson: I genuinely believe all fleets could benefit, which is why we have tailored the system to allow for different applications. For example, a bus operator running vehicles locally from a depot may wish to install a ContiYardReader which checks the vehicle every time it passes a certain point, or during
doesn’t need to be complicated. ContiPressureCheck ‘Light’ is an entry level system which simply uses the sensors in the tyres and an easy-to-use hand held device. With this ‘Light’ version, a quick walk round check can be completed once a week – which is enough for some users. This will enable an accurate pressure and temperature report to be generated for the whole fleet extremely quickly.
Question: Should fleet managers look to install ContiPressureCheck across their whole fleet?
Ian Jackson: Absolutely – our integration with telematics systems would allow fleet managers to access live data from all their vehicles, which not only helps report potential problems, but also generates reports to ensure optimal tyre policy going forward.
Question: What feedback have you had from drivers using ContiPressureCheck?
Ian Jackson: It has been very positive, to the point where we have some customers tell us that drivers prefer vehicles with ContiPressureCheck fitted. One of our ongoing customer initiatives is to provide practical advice and training tools to ensure drivers and fitters are fully up to speed on the system. We find when this is done,
All sensors are mounted on the tyre inner liner inside a rubber housing and continuously measure the tyre pressure and temperature.