Have you ever bought a tire with a low upfront cost, only then to pay hundreds in maintenance, poor fuel efficiency, or a low tread life? You may not have considered the total cost ownership of tires.
Many carriers end up paying huge expenses by misunderstanding this critical concept:
Tires cost more than their initial cost.
The total cost of ownership (TCO) of tires considers all the expenses incurred over its lifetime. On average, the marginal cost of tires is $0.038 a mile or $1.50 an hour.
To help you purchase tires that are truly the most cost-effective for your fleet, here are all the considerations to account for.
(If you’re looking for a recommendation on a tire with a truly low TCO, you can get special pricing on the Michelin X® Line Energy™ D+ by clicking the form below.)
Fuel Efficiency
Fact: On average, you pay five times the initial fuel cost for a tire due to tire resistance. By choosing the right tire, you can cut that cost drastically.
When picking out a fuel-efficient tire, examining a tire’s rolling resistance is critical.
Rolling resistance refers to how much work your engine needs to do to make your wheels move. Fuel-efficient tires include features that reduce drag as much as possible to help your rig glide down the road.
For example, The Michelin X® Line Energy™ Z+ sports 12% lower rolling resistance than its predecessor.[2] This efficiency is accomplished with a dual tread compound of two layers:
The mileage layer reduces wear and tear for exceptional durability.
The fuel layer cools the internal casing for greater fuel efficiency.
Other tires may display rolling-resistance-reducing features, like stiff sidewalls containing silica-based tread compounds to reduce rolling resistance or special tread patterns.
Durability/Tread Life
If you get a great deal on a tire that only lasts six months, any discounts on upfront costs are immediately negated.
Some tires can run up to a million miles with retreading. If you drove 600 miles a day, that would mean your tire could last four-and-a-half -half years without any breaks!
When evaluating a tire’s durability, look for longevity-promoting features, including:
Cooling treads to lower casing temperatures
Multiple layers of tread compound for more mileage
Steel belt cables
Evolving grooves that open as they wear
…and more.
Retreadability
Regarding durability, retreading your tire is the best way to make your tires last longer.
For a long time, the industry had embraced a false belief that retreading was a dangerous practice that would lead to blowouts. This rumor has been repeatedly disproven in academic studies.
Today, many tires are designed to be retreadable. By selecting retreadable tires, carriers can get several uses out of a regular tire life.
To learn more about how retreading can save you money, click here.
Initial Cost
Though the initial cost of the tire isn’t everything, the price comprises a large percentage of a tire’s TCO.
Selecting the right tire vendor is critical to driving down initial costs. C.R. England, for example, purchases premium tires at Love’s truck stops to benefit from their fleet plans.
Carriers can also use discount tire programs. England Carrier Services, for example, can leverage its relationships to provide carriers with tires at a special price.
Learn more about discount tire programs by clicking the form below.
The total cost of ownership of a tire is more than its initial cost. To truly understand what tire is most cost-effective for your fleet, carriers should consider fuel efficiency, durability, retreadability, and other elements in addition to the initial cost.
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The England Carrier Services (ECS) division offers various services for carriers ranging from maintenance to support. As ECS members, carriers have access to nationwide discounts on fuel and tires from dedicated team members committed to finding the best price. ECS also provides factoring services with benefits such as same-day funding to a bank account or fuel card. These options allow carriers the freedom to focus on growing their business while saving time and money.
