Skyrocketing fuel prices and mounting pressures from the supply chain crisis are assaulting carrier profitability. Winning in this environment means fighting to squeeze more miles out of every drop of fuel and finding other ways to counter rising costs. Now more than ever, trucking companies need data from a state-of-the-art tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) to help them maximize profitability.
Maintaining proper semi-trailer tire pressure is critical to optimizing fuel efficiency. It also saves fleets on their number two direct operating expense behind fuel: tires. A TPMS system for trailers delivers the real-time data fleet managers need to preserve tire tread and proactively manage tire inflation issues before they become big, expensive problems.
A TPMS solves underinflation to boost MPG
A trailer tire that’s underinflated by 10% drives a 1% increase in fuel consumption. Yet 20% of all trailers operate with at least one tire underinflated by 20 pounds per square inch (psi). The result is a dramatic decrease in fuel efficiency across the entire fleet.
Even if drivers perform manual pre-trip inspections, they typically aren’t incentivized to report tire issues to maintenance managers right away. What’s more, tire pressure can change while the trailer is in motion. Automatic tire pressure monitoring through trailer telematics is the answer.
A TPMS includes a TPMS sensor in each trailer tire, such as the sensors from Pressure Systems International (P.S.I.). Used as part of an edge-to-cloud smart trailer ecosystem, it tracks tire pressure in real time and alerts a driver or fleet manager when the psi drops below a predetermined threshold. Proactive monitoring of tire pressure with a TPMS gives fleets the ability to address tire pressure issues before they add up to significant losses in fuel economy.
A TPMS controls a fleet’s number one maintenance cost
Tires are the number one maintenance cost in any fleet, accounting for nearly 18% of all maintenance expenses. An unprecedented rise in tire prices is driving those expenses even higher. Smart trailer technology that includes a TPMS lets fleet maintenance managers save money by extending tire lifecycles and getting ahead of potential tire problems rather than reacting after a blowout or flat tire happens.
Underinflation of 20% reduces tire life by 30%. At the same time, undetected low pressure causes nearly 80% of blowouts, which cost fleets nearly $1,000 for a new tire and a road service call, plus the cost of lost productivity. For trailers with wide-base tires, a blowout often results in the loss of a rim in addition to the tire.
A TPMS integrated into fleet management software provides fleet managers, drivers and maintenance teams the steady stream of actionable data needed to lower maintenance costs and increase tire life. Preventing even one roadside service call for a flat tire or blowout typically pays for the TMPS for that trailer.
A TPMS preserves trailer uptime
When a trailer is taken out of service, the opportunity cost is significant, especially with the capacity limitations caused by today’s trailer and driver shortages. Given the pressure on fleets to increase asset uptime, nothing is more frustrating than assigning a load to a trailer and discovering the trailer has been sitting in the yard with a flat tire or underinflated tire.
A TPMS that’s part of an integrated smart trailer solution helps managers avoid that headache by monitoring the psi for trailer tires in the yard and alerting maintenance crews to low tire pressure. This connected intelligence allows maintenance personnel to ensure trailers are road ready, which boosts trailer utilization.
The cost pressures that keep for-hire carrier and private fleet managers up at night continue to increase. For trucking companies looking to improve fuel economy and shrink maintenance spending, a smart trailer platform that includes a TPMS delivers a solid return on investment — including the improved safety of drivers and their fellow motorists.
Learn more about CalAmp’s edge-to-cloud smart trailer platform, which integrates seamlessly with the TPMS from Pressure Systems International.